Church of the Pilgrim Virgin

The church of the Pilgrim Virgin is a scallop-shaped Roman Catholic chapel located in the city of Pontevedra, in Spain, along the route of the Portuguese Way of St. James. Construction began in 1778 and it is one of the most symbolic and important buildings in the city of Pontevedra. It is dedicated to the Virgin who, according to tradition, guided pilgrims from Bayona, in the south-west of the province of Pontevedra, to Santiago de Compostela. The church houses the image of the Pilgrim Virgin (19th century), patron saint of the province of Pontevedra and, in turn, of the Portuguese Way. Declared a historic-artistic monument in 1982, it is a mixture of late Baroque and Neoclassical forms, such as its main altarpiece, erected in 1789. The shape of its floor plan is inspired by a scallop shell, the quintessential symbol of pilgrims, ending in a Christian cross. This circular shape is associated with the prevailing typology in Portuguese Catholic churches of the time. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of Monument on 13 October 2011.