Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the national Catholic shrine of the United States and one of the largest Catholic churches in North America. Groundbreaking took place in 1920 and the upper church was dedicated in 1959. The complex contains dozens of chapels, oratories, and ethnic shrines representing diverse devotional practices, and it hosts national pilgrimages and large liturgical ceremonies. The basilica is located on Michigan Avenue and serves as a major Catholic ritual site in Washington, D.C.