Basilica of Our Lady of El Valle

The Basilica of Our Lady of El Valle sits in the small town of El Valle del Espíritu Santo near Porlamar on Venezuela's Margarita Island, serving as the cathedral church of the Diocese of Margarita. The neogothic structure holds the status of a minor basilica and is dedicated to the Virgen del Valle, one of Venezuela's most revered Marian devotions. The Virgin is venerated as the patron saint of fishermen and the people of Margarita Island, and her September feast day draws pilgrims from across the country. A protected national monument, the basilica stands as a spiritual and cultural landmark in a region otherwise defined by beach tourism.