Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken

In Valencia, Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken is an important basilica associated with Christianity and with the historical development of its region. The principal shrine of Valencia’s patroness, Our Lady of the Forsaken, rooted in a historic confraternity devoted to vulnerable people. The basilica was built from 1652 to 1667 as a new Baroque church dedicated to Valencia’s patroness.

Its devotional background is linked to the early-15th-century confraternity of the Mare de Déu dels Innocents i Desemparats, established to assist people with mental illness and arrange burials for abandoned or executed persons. Later artistic campaigns enriched the sanctuary and its Marian chapel.

Architecturally, the site is characterised by baroque. Principal shrine of Valencia’s patroness and an important Baroque pilgrimage basilica. The image of the Virgen de los Desamparados is the focus of major Valencian Catholic devotion and public celebrations.

The entry records the documented history of the confraternity and basilica while treating religious beliefs about the Virgin’s protection as matters of faith. Religious use and pilgrimage at the site include Mass, Marian prayer, and processions. Because worship, ceremonies and heritage visits can overlap, visitors should consult the official institution or the cited public authority for current access, service and visiting arrangements.