Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels
Luis Llach · Cartago, Costa Rica · 1924
Cartago’s national basilica combines a large centralized church interior with a strongly patterned exterior associated with Byzantine Revival architecture. Rebuilt after earlier earthquake damage, the present structure uses reinforced construction while retaining a richly ceremonial religious character. Towers, striped surfaces, domes and a deep nave establish a highly recognizable silhouette at the eastern edge of Cartago’s historic center. The basilica is both a major pilgrimage destination and an important example of Costa Rican ecclesiastical architecture adapting historicist language to seismic conditions.