Mare de Déu del Tura

Patrona de Olot (Girona)

In the heart of Olot one of the oldest Marian advocations in Catalonia is venerated: the Mare de Déu del Tura, "verge bruna" Romanesque whose cult is already documented in the ninth century.

Origin and history

The first safe news of the church of Santa Maria in Olot is in a precept of King Charles the Calvo of 872, which mentions "the place called Olotis, with the old church founded in honor of Santa Maria." The building has protorromanic origin (VIII-IX centuries) and has passed through Romanesque, Gothic phases and, after the earthquakes of the XV-XVI centuries, through the current neoclassical temple of the 18th century, restored after the burning of 1936. The Romanesque image of the Tura, a polychrome size of the 12th century ripollah style, is venerated inside.

The title belongs to the group of the "Maredededeu trobada" (Our Lady found): tradition tells that an ox came to draw near the more Caritat until, when it was dug, the image was found; hence the name "Tura," interpreted as "ox" in ancient Catalan. Patrona de Olot, focuses the Festes del Tura, its major feast around 8 September, in which the chillary is expressly prayed the holy rosary before the Mass.

Canonical coronation: not found in the sources.