Marian Academy
Ever since it was founded in 1862, the Marian Academy has been a powerful symbol for the city. The large building itself is of extraordinary size and value, with its Neoclassical façade on which six crests stand out. Inside the building there are artistic treasures everywhere you look: the Noucentiste vestibule decorated with Greek marble, the imperial stairway, the theatre and, naturally, the chapel.
The Sistine Chapel of Marian Art
The chapel has been nicknamed the Sistine Chapel of Marian Art owing to the 300 m2 of frescos dating from 1871 that decorate the chapel. They are uniques, not only for their artistic value, but also because this is the only place in the world where the whole life of the Virgin Mary is presented in artistic form. The chapel, in Florentine Gothic style, is presided over by the figure of the White Virgin. The white statue was sculpted from the wood of a linden tree, and its colour was the origin of the name of the Patron Saint of Lleida. Another important feature of this small sanctuary is its collection of wrought iron. Besides being the most complete collection in the city, it is unique for being the work of Antoni Guerra, considered the best 20th-century artist in his field.
Contact
17 Acadèmia St.
www.bisbatlleida.org
