Almudena Cathedral, Madrid

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Below the cathedral is probably one of the most beautiful crypts I have ever seen. This neo-Romanesque crypt was absolutely spotlessly clean and bright white. Dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena, there are many families buried in the floors, the walls, and in the chapels of the crypt. In the central part of the crypt is a worship area.

There is a 16th century painting of the Virgin de la Amundena in one of the smaller side chapels of the crypt.

A donation is requested to enter the crypt.

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Madrid’s new cathedral is actually not that new since it took almost 100 years to build. It is situated next to the Palacio Real. This Catholic cathedral was officially consecrated in 1993 when Pope John Paul II visited and dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena, who it is said had a statue outside the walls that only revealed itself to Christian soldiers by the walls crumbling after they prayed to find it. It appears that a building project in the location of this occurrence is now being worked on.

There is a statue of Pope John Paul II on the side of the building near the main entrance. The first royal wedding held in the cathedral occurred in 2004 between Prince Felipe and Letizia, Princess of Asturias.

The cathedral has a grey and white exterior and a neo-Gothic interior that is rather unique from other Gothic cathedrals. While the basic structure is Gothic, the modern stained glass windows and the colorful paintings on the ceilings give it a new appearance.

There is a very large altar with a statue to the Madonna and Child, which was quite popular among those visiting the cathedral. In the silver base of the statue are reliefs of the symbol of Madrid, the bear with the strawberry tree.

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This famous cathedral of Madrid is located just next to Royal Palace. The two buildings have some harmony thanks to late construction of the cathedral. You can combine the visit to the cathedral as you visit Royal Palace.

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Madrid's Cathedral is right next to the Royal Palace. It is a wonderful building and it is possible to take an excellent photo of it from so many different parts of Madrid. Entry is by optional donation for the upkeep of the building. The suggested amount is one euro. Inside the church had some wonderful frescoes and beautiful stained glass windows. Despite the many visitors to the carhedral, the building was very peaceful inside. Some chapels had been set aside for silent prayer and taking photographs was not allowed in these areas, though it was fine in the rest of the building. Outside the cathedral was a statue of Pope John Paul the second commemorating his visit to Spain.

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A first project for a cathedral in Madrid was drawn in 1623, but the construction really started in 1883, and is still unfinished (cloister finished in 1955 and façade in 1960). The cathedral was officially inaugurated in 1993 by Pope John Paul II.

The Cathedral of La Almudena is located in a nice area and it has great views, specially during the summer where you can sit or stroll around and watch the amazing sunsets.

The style of this cathedral is mainly based in the Neo-Classical on the outside and of the Neo-Gothic on the inside. The exterior is marked by its sobriety which contrasted with the inside where there are notable sculpture such as "The Christ of the Good Death" by Juan de Mesa and several frescoes.

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VT certainly is an educational experience for me when it comes to travelling! There I was, wandering around admiring the beauty of Almudena Cathedral, but I kept thinking that there was something different about it. Sure enough, I only found out later (while building these tips) that this cathedral is practically brand new - with construction only finally being completed in 1999!

It is a long story, starting with the fact that powerful religious leaders in the larger city of Toledo (which had its own cathedral) blocked King Philip II in 1561 when, after making Madrid the new capital of Spain, he requested permission to build a cathedral there. Fortunately, the delay only lasted 307 years until the authorities in Toledo finally granted permission (in 1868) to build a 'church' honouring Madrid's female patron saint, the Virgin Almudena.

Construction got underway in 1883 but, because Madrid became a diocese one year later, it was then elevated to the status of a cathedral. The expense of the endeavor, combined with the disruption of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s as well as World War II, dragged its construction out until it was finally completed only ten years ago. It may have taken a few centuries, but I was quite impressed by the final product!

We enjoyed its exterior murals as well as a short walk around its interior, taking in the architecture and several Christmas nativity scenes.

I am about as religious as my dog but I am really into Church architecture and music. Paintings and treasures I can take or leave. I had no intention of going to the Cathedral Museum until I realised that the ticket also gave access to the dome (cupula). The views from here over Madrid are breath-taking.

On your way out you pass through the Cathedral itself and the blend of traditional Baroque with very modern architecture is fascinating.

It´s Madrid´s cathedral which took more than 100 years to complete (it is finished in 1993). The cathedral is 104 m long and 76 m wide. The central dome has a diametar od 20 m. The interior of the Almudena Cathedral is more modern and much more modest than that of its larger counterpart in Toledo. The cathedral is near Royal Palace.

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Construction on the Almudena Cathedral (or Cathedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Alumund) only began in 1879. even though the concept of building a new cathedral for Madrid was raised during the 16th century. The completion however did not end until 1993 when the church was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. The church is dedicated to the Virgin of Aludena.