Área de Turismo - Ayuntamiento de Ponferrada

Style: Renaissance

High resolution image. This link will open using lightbox, there may be a context switchBasílica de la Encina A Renaissance temple with a Latin cross plan that dates back to the year 1573 according to the plans made by Juan Alvear.

Inside the basilica we have to highlight the polychrome wooden Main Retable, from the Gregorio Fernández school that is dated between 1630 and 1640.

The image of the Virgin of La Encina "La Morenica" the Saint Patron of El Bierzo, presides over the retable.

High resolution image. This link will open using lightbox, there may be a context switchBasílica de la Encina Outside the basilica the tower stands out. It started to be built in 1614 and went on during the 17th century. In the 18th the chapel of the Virgin is built.

Despite the obvious anachronism, there is a legend that narrates how the carving of the Virgin that had been brought from the Holy Land by the Saint Toribio, the bishop of Astorga, was hidden in order to protect it from the Muslim invasions.

The image disappeared and some centuries later the Templars found the statue hidden inside a holm oak as they were picking up some wood.

The Virgin was named after the tree where she had been found.