The basilica's facade with the Coronation of Mary

The Coronation of Mary by the Holy Trinity crowns the facade's sculptural programme. Below are figures of the twelve apostles, with representations of evangelists and saints near the lower part of the ensemble. The composition moves from figures associated with the Church's teaching to a scene of Mary's heavenly glory.

The facade acts as a screen: its broad, formal composition does not directly follow the arrangement of rooms behind it. Pilasters and horizontal entablatures divide the surface into smaller sections. Terraces with openwork balustrades, niches, angels and decorative vases complement the figures.

The effect resembles a palace front more than a simple wall closing off a nave. Stepped pylons stand at the edges, rather than conventional towers reflecting the interior layout. Sculpture and architecture work together here: balustrades mark the levels occupied by figures, while the crowning element draws attention to the Coronation. This is the exterior part of the narrative continued in the sanctuary's chapels.