Despite being one of the country’s most popular pilgrimage sites, the Torreciudad Sanctuary in Aragón, designed by Heliodoro Dols, remains largely unknown to the general public. This was one of the points of consensus among the researchers specialising in sacred architecture who took part in the round-table discussion organised by the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, which underscored the relevance of the architect’s work.

Dr Javier Domingo de Miguel, an architect, researcher and holder of a PhD from the University of Navarra, is the author of the critical monograph Heliodoro Dols. Tradición, modernidad, autenticidad (Tradition, Modernity, Authenticity; 2025), a book derived from his doctoral thesis, which explores the evolution of contemporary and monumental architecture. “The fact that Heliodoro stayed in Aragón rather than living in major cities such as Barcelona or Madrid meant that his work lacked exposure,” explained the architect.

Dr Silvia Blanco Agüeira, a specialist in modern architecture from the latter half of the 20th century and sacred heritage, discussed the reasons why the architect remains relatively unknown: “Torreciudad was built between 1970 and 1975, towards the end of the Franco dictatorship, a period of profound transformation in Spain and a time of renewal in sacred architecture. It’s understandable, therefore, that the sanctuary does not feature prominently in Spanish architectural historiography,” she stressed.

The Torreciudad Sanctuary

The Torreciudad Sanctuary, inaugurated in 1975 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is now a place of pilgrimage for thousands of worshippers. Built between 1970 and 1975, it combines elements of both traditional and modern architecture. For Dr Eduardo Delgado Orusco, an architect, lecturer at the University of Zaragoza and researcher of Dols’s work, this combination is one of Torreciudad’s key values: “Despite being modern, it embodies traditional values, such as a return to local materials, to the analogue way of life of the villages in the area and to adaptation to the climate,” he explained.

According to the expert, “Torreciudad has yet to receive the recognition it deserves.” With this aim of raising awareness, Javier Domingo de Miguel and Eduardo Delgado have presented the exhibition “Heliodoro Dols: Tradition, Modernity, Authenticity” at UIC. It features a scale model of the shrine, made in 1966, six information panels and fourteen original architectural drawings. “Heliodoro’s skill as a draughtsman is astonishing,” de Miguel remarked.

Architect Silvia Blanco highlighted the longstanding research tradition in the field of religious architecture: “The problem is not a lack of academic research, but that this work is absent from the current historiographical narrative,” she noted. “Religious buildings are often studied from a formalist perspective, focusing on aspects such as light and materials. Little attention is paid to the liturgical and theological transformations that influence their design.” The expert called for broader recognition of this field of study: “There are still areas and periods that need to be explored,” she concluded.

The event was moderated by Fredy Massad, journalist, architect and lecturer at UIC, and attended by Íñigo Ugalde, director of the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, and Vice-Dean Ricardo Gómez Val.