St. Mary’s Basilica

St. Mary’s Basilica is a historically significant and revered Roman Catholic place of worship. It is located at MF Norrona St, Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560051. It is one of the oldest churches in India. The first church to have the elevated status of a basilica in Karnataka was St. Mary’s Basilica.

The easiest way to reach St. Mary’s Basilica is by car from Varthur. So if you are planning to get a home in Prestige Evergreen, it will be very easy to reach here by personal car or cab service. Public transportation is also available like busses, metro. The nearest metro station to St. Mary's Basilica is MG Road Metro Station on the Purple Line. The ticket costs around Rs. 30.

The Papal Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) is one of the most important Marian sanctuaries in Western Christendom. It is the only one of the Papal Basilicas to have maintained its early Christian appearance.

The church’s origin can be traced back to the 17th century as a small chapel. It was first elevated to the status of Basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1973. This is a special title given by the Pope to churches of historical and spiritual significance.

Despite being so old and having several embellishments and extensions, the patrons have never changed the original layout and design of the Basilica. It has a Gothic structural design, which is believed to be heaven-inspired. It is built in the shape of a cross. Standing at 160Ft tall, it is adorned with beautiful colour-stained glass windows, ornate motifs and grand arches.

The opening hours are from Monday to Saturday between 11:30 am-6 pm. The High Altar opens for visitors at 11:50 am on weekdays. Especially on Sundays, the church stays open between 2 pm-6 pm. The High Altar on these days stays open all throughout the day.

Tourists can enter the half of the church, including the High Altar and chancel. The other half is reserved for personal prayer. It can be accessed through the main entrance. Anyone can enter both halves for free if they charge.

However, visitors can also watch the church from the taller tower only during the summer season in June. In that case, a minimum entry fee is charged. Tickets are available on the official website. Visiting hours during weekdays are Tue-Sat from 10 am to 5:30 pm. The tour happens every 30 minutes. On Sunday, the visiting hours are between 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm.