The Castle-Basilica of Caravaca premieres new external illumination
LED lights highlight the beauty of the buildings at the heart of Caravaca’s identity
At a ceremony on 17th November which was attended by Fernando López Miras, the president of the regional government, among others, the new exterior lighting of the Basilica of Caravaca de la Cruz was switched on for the first time, revealing the building in its full glory following an investment of more than 200,000 euros.
127 state-of-the-art Led projectors are now in use to illuminate the building after dark, considerably reducing the carbon footprint of the previous lighting, and Mayor José Francisco García Fernández the new system allows the Basilica and castle to continue being the most important visual and emotional landmark of the Holy City.
Those responsible for designing the new lighting (Jesús Castillo and Roberto Lurueña), had previously worked on other buildings of national heritage status, including the cathedrals of Burgos, Palencia and Ávila and the Templo de Debod in Madrid, and the result of their efforts is an entirely uniform distribution of light which highlights the most important elements of the whole, such as the marble pillars of the main doorway and the Capilla de los Conjuros. Rather than full-on lighting, they have opted for a blend of light and shade.
After the switching on of the lights, those present enjoyed the recital offered by Argentinian tenor Martín Savi.
The castle of Caravaca de la Cruz is one of the most iconic monuments in the Region of Murcia and is a point of reference for religion, culture and tourism. There was previously a Moorish fortress on the site but after a rebellion of the Moors in 1264-1266 it was given to King Alfonso X to the Order of the Templars.
Inside the castle walls (many of which still stand along with 14 towers) is the Real Basílica Santuario de la Vera Cruz, which was built starting in 1617 under the supervision of Father Alberto de la Madre de Dios. The building was completed in 1703 and its highlight is without a doubt the façade, one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in Murcia with a wealth of ornamental detail and floral reliefs.
Inside is the fragment of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified (a “lignum crucis”) known as the Vera Cruz de Caravaca, which has been in the city since the 13th century and which has shaped the spiritual identity of Caravaca as well as attracting pilgrims from all over the world.
For more local events, news and visiting information contact the local tourist office (see below) or go to the home page of Caravaca Today.
Address
Calle De Las Monjas, 19, 30400 CARAVACA DE LA CRUZTel: 968 702424 / 968 701003
Oficina de Turismo de Caravaca de la Cruz
More information about the places of interest which can be visited in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, along with what's on and local news can be found in the Caravaca Today.
Caravaca de la Cruz, in the north-west of the Region of Murcia, is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the Roman Catholic world, a centre of pilgrimage, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liebana, and is home to the Cross of Caravaca, the Vera Cruz.
The status of Holy City was bestowed by Pope John Paul II in 1998, granting the City a Permanent Jubilee year every 7 years for perpetuity, the first one held in 2003 and the next in 2024.
The strategic and natural advantages of Caravaca de la Cruz have attracted the attention of settlers for more than 800,000 years, the Cueva Negra yielding remains of Homo Heidelbergensis, forbears of the Neanderthals and the municipality also houses important archaeological remains from the Argaric, Iberian and Roman cultures. many of these can be seen in the Municipal Archaeological Museum.
As a border town caught between the Catholic forces of Castille and the last remaining Moorish stronghold in Spain, Granada, Caravaca had a turbulent medieval history, but it was during this period that the legend of the Cross of Caravaca was born, bringing the religious orders which shaped the structure of Caravaca today, with its impressive hilltop castle and eclectic collection of churches and monasteries, religious tourism today being a backbone of the town´s economy.
Caravaca de la Cruz is a municipality with important natural resources, including extensive forests, part of which have protected status due to their wealth of flora and fauna, and due to the abundant water supplies is also a major area for canned fruit production, apricots in particular being an important crop.
Caravaca is renown for its important May Fiestas, held in honour of the Vera Cruz, which also incorporate the Moors and Christians celebrations and the Running of the Wine Horses.
Caravaca de la Cruz is also the home of Europe´s largest collection of ethnic instruments at Barranda, the Museo de Música Étnica Barranda and is the location of the Barranda festival de Cuadrillas, which celebrates the Region's ethnic music traditions.
The municipality is home to around 26,000 inhabitants and shares boundaries with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Puebla de Don Fadrique in the province of Granada and Vélez-Blanco in the province of Almería.
Opening times:
Weekdays: 10.00 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Saturdays: 10.30 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Sundays and public holidays: 10.30 to 14.00
Click for map, Caravaca de la Cruz Tourist Office
