Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America and a national shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Construction began in 1920 and the upper church was dedicated in 1959; interior decoration and additional chapels were completed in subsequent decades. It is a frequent destination for Catholic pilgrimages and hosts diocesan and national pilgrimage events and major Marian liturgies.