The sanctuary (1911) sits incongruously in the centre of a building (now a hotel) that emits an unfortunate boarding-school vibe. A pastel-painted passageway trimmed with gold leads visitors from the main church to the upper level, housing the Mare de Déu de Núria behind a glass screen above the altar. Mary, with a regal expression, sits in star-spangled robes, clasping a grown-up Jesus. The icon is in 12th-century Romanesque style, despite believers insisting that Sant Gil sculpted it back in AD 700.
On the left as you enter through the main door is a chapel containing a bell, a cross and a cooking pot (dating to the 15th century). To have your prayer answered, put your head in the pot and ring the bell while you say it. On the right-hand side of the church, peek into a chapel with a stained-glass window depicting Sant Bernat, carrying a pair of skis and accompanied by a mountain dog – he’s the patron saint of skiers and hikers.
The sanctuary's austere feel initially underwhelms, after all those valley panoramas and brooding mountains along the journey to Núria. Nonetheless the views, icon and accompanying folklore make this a worthy trip.
