Macarena Basilica

You are in front of the Basilica of La Macarena, the spiritual heart of many Sevillan families. The current church is fairly recent, built in the mid-20th century, when the old church of San Gil could no longer host so many devotees. But the real wonder is inside: the image of Our Lady of Hope of Macarena, an anonymous sculpture from the late 17th century, considered by many to be the most beloved Virgin of Sevilla. If you go in, do so with respect: this is not only an artwork, it is a living symbol. La Macarena gazes with that mixture of sweetness and sorrow that so many people have wept on Madrugá, the long night of Holy Week when her float steps out into the streets among saetas and quiet emotion. Notice her mantle, the candelabra, the five emeralds donated by the bullfighter Joselito el Gallo and worn by the Virgin at his funeral. Behind the main altar you will also find the Christ of the Sentence. In the adjoining museum you can see floats, canopies, antique embroideries and foremen's costumes: a small encyclopedia of Sevillan Holy Week. On the way out, look at the Arco de la Macarena across the street, one of the few surviving gates of the Almohad wall. Visitor tip: come on a weekday and early. Speak softly.