"The Ebro is silent when passing through the Pilar"
Its cultural heritage, its picturesque streets, its centuries-old pastry shops, its freshwater baths, the beautiful landscape of the Pyrenees, the tapas of El Tubo, its people...
We like Aragon for many reasons, and one of them is ** Zaragoza: the capital of the Ebro, the capital of tomorrow, the city of the wind...**
On October 12, the city celebrates the feast of its patron saint, the Virgen del Pilar, an essential, unavoidable and indispensable visit.
Because, after strolling down Calle Alfonso, having some tapas at El Tubo or approaching the Ebro River from the Puente de Piedra, everyone who visits the city ends up here: in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar.
A baroque jewel that rises imposingly in the homonymous square, and that has even survived the bombings of the Civil War, whose footprint can still be seen in the holes near the Holy Chapel.
Pilarica, how tall are you?
And this is where our recommendation comes in: the best souvenir you can take from Zaragoza is right at the door of the cathedral –yes, it is a basilica and a cathedral– and it measures 36.5 centimeters , not one more... not one less.
Why? It is the length of the carving of the Virgen del Pilar. You may already know what we are talking about. you will have seen them in the mirrors of cars, in suitcases and backpacks, in helmets and even adorning dolls.
The Virgin Measurement Tapes They have their origin in the 17th century, when the Virgin's cloaks were lent to the sick.
Faced with the difficulty of sending them out of the city, the tapes emerged, Virgin's mantle symbol and whose protection today encompasses anyone who wants to take them with them.
By the way, don't try to get them anywhere else, because They are only found next to the Pilarica.
The measure of the Virgen del Pilar is the best memory you can take from the capital tomorrow
***** _This report was published in **number 132 of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine (September)**. Subscribe to the printed edition (11 printed issues and a digital version for €24.75, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website). The September issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device. _