Santa Maria de la Salut Sanctuary (Viladordis)

The Sanctuary of La Salut is a religious site of Romanesque origin located in Viladordis, one of the outlying districts of Manresa. Despite its age, it is not the first Christian temple in Viladordis, as nearby stands the Church of Santa Maria de Vilamajor, built during the 10th century.

The origins of the present sanctuary date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, when a small single-nave church with a semicircular apse was built. From the same period comes the Virgin of La Salut, the wooden sculpture that gives the architectural complex its name. Between the 15th and 16th centuries, the entrance to the church was moved to its current main façade, and the bell tower was erected. From its very foundation, La Salut became a meeting place, where pilgrimages, festivals, and religious gatherings were commonly held.

Viladordis is also one of Manresa’s Ignatian landmarks. During his eleven-month stay in the city, Saint Ignatius of Loyola used to visit La Salut to pray, being a devoted follower of the Virgin’s image. One of the stones at the church entrance marks the spot where the future saint is said to have knelt in prayer.

After multiple surveys and excavations, the oldest archaeological remains in the Manresa area have been discovered in Viladordis. These include a pit-type grave from the Neolithic period, a large funerary vessel, and a medieval necropolis consisting of 23 anthropomorphic tombs. The oldest of these tombs date back to the 9th and 10th centuries.