Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento — Attraction in Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

Commissioned by Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena, the work was executed by the architects Coulomb and Chauvet and supervised by the superior brother of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament who chose the materials. His style is eclectic, he took the Cathedral of Angoulême as inspiration. Its construction, which took eight years, was promoted by Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena, who lived in the Anchorena Palace located about 150 meters from the church. It is dedicated to Perpetual Adoration and in this basilica - unlike others from the same period - the Table of Sacrifice is not highlighted. Its architecture is harmonious and proportionate, it has five towers, three in the front and two in the apse, which unlike Gothic cathedrals are not arrows thrown into the sky or square walls of Romanesque churches. Its interior, which consists of three naves and is in the Neo-Gothic style, is ornamented with artistic pieces of great value, highlighting the stained glass windows in the three main naves, gold and silver applications on the altar, the granite wall tiles from Baveno and the Vosges, as well as red marbles from Verona and white from Carrara, garnet onyx from Morocco, blue granite and Venetian majolica, as well as artistic white marble sculptures. It has wood carvings made in Europe and a Mutin - Cavaillé-Coll brand organ with five thousand pipes inaugurated in 1915 with the interpretation of Widor's Fifth Symphony, which was attended by the owner of the musical instrument manufacturer Charles Mutin. It is considered one of the most luxurious churches in the city of Buenos Aires and the one chosen to celebrate weddings by Buenos Aires high society. In a crypt rest the remains of Mrs. Mercedes C. de Anchorena, who had stated that "If she lived in a Palace, her God must...

It is unbelievable, bearing in mind that this church was built as a private church by and for a unique family Anchorena. It is a very opulent building with a very special interior. Every detail is unique and there is so much jewelry. For example, many different types of marbles were used. There are mosaics, filigree wood carvings. There are 8 confessionals inside, all individually decorated with elaborate woodwork. The altar is very huge. Also the floor is very special with colored stones.

The fact that it is a basilica also means that it is a particularly venerable, meaningful church, as this award is given only by the Pope.

It is a highlight in Buenos Aires but it's hidden, in the middle of a side street between two other buildings.

The crypta can be visited only on Friday from 9 to 3 p.m.

What drove Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena to build such a magnificent church...

Basílica Santísimo Sacramento (1911 -cripta- y 1915 -iglesia superior-) Obra de los Arq. Maurice Coulomb y Louis Chauvet, revisión de proyecto y dirección del Arq. Padre Ernesto Vespignani y construcción de Francisco Pini. Esculturas de Quintino Piana, pintura del bautisterio de Augusto J. Fusilier y la custodia (donde se coloca la hostia después de consagrada) de Casa Poussielgue. Consagrada en 1916 por el Arzobispo Mariano Espinosa y declarada Basílica por el Papa Benedicto XV. Donada Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena, quién vivía a seiscientos metros en el hoy Palacio San Martín (sede de la cancillería), a la Congregación del Santísimo Sacramento. De estilo ecléctico tiene cinco torres, tres en el frente y dos en el ábside combina remates circulares con columnillas y linternas, superponiendo una torre a la maciza composición de fachada -de hastial y torres cuadrangulares- con cupulines, pináculos y arcos ciegos entrelazados, así como la verticalidad propia del Gótico y detalles neobizantinos. Su interior es de estilo neogótico con tres nave, nártex de madera, transepto, triforio y bóvedas nervadas donde se destacan vitrales, revestimientos de granito azul, mármoles rojos y blancos, ónix granate, granito azul y mayólicas venecianas. Posee tallas de madera y un órgano (1915) de cinco mil tubos marca Cavaillé-Coll - Mutin y el púlpito de talla flamenca. El altar mayor es de Carrara -con el baldaquino del Santísimo en bronce, ónix, granito, mayólicas venecianas y aplicaciones en oro y plata. Es considerada una de las iglesias más lujosas...