Page 144 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

142  NOR THERN SP AIN REGION B Y REGION

u Santuario de Loiola

Iñigo de Loiola, or St Ignatius (1491–1556), founder of
the Jesuit order, was born in the stone manor known as
Santa Casa (Holy House). The manor was incorporated
in 1681–1738 into a shrine designed by Carlo Fontana,
and the rooms where the Loyola family had lived were
converted into chapels. The most important of these is
the Chapel of the Conversion, the room where Ignatius, . Interior of the Basilica
as a young soldier, had a profound religious experi ence The richly decorated and gilded
while recovering from a battle injury. The Baroque Churrigueresque interior is covered
basilica, with a circular nave and a in grey and pink marble.
Churrigueresque dome, is the
shrine’s highlight.

Figures by the Santa Casa
The bronze figures, by Juan Flotats,
show the return of Ignatius, who
had been injured while defending
the castle in Pamplona.

The Founding of the Jesuit Order
The Jesuit order was founded in Rome in 1539
by St Ignatius, a former soldier, and a group of
priests who were dedicated to puri fying the
Church and resisting Protestantism. Pope Paul
III soon approved the order’s estab lishment,
with Ignatius as Superior General. The order,
. Santa Casa which grew wealthy, vowed military obedience
In the Holy House – the original to the Pope and became his most powerful
home of the Loyola family, weapon against the Reformation. Today, there
around which the Sanctuary are nearly 20,000 Jesuits working, mainly in
was built – is the Chapel of the education, in 127 countries.
Conversion, with a beautiful St Ignatius of Loyola
sculpture of Ignatius Loyola.
For hotels and restaurants see pp205–6 and pp219–21

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