Directly opposite the Royal Palace of Madrid is the imposing Almudena Cathedral. The royal wedding of Felipe of Spain and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano took place here in 2004 and I was very curious to see what such a place for royal weddings would look like.
But at first I was a little confused. I had previously read that entry to the church was free. Right next to the main entrance there is a small door for visitors with a sign showing the entrance fee. To be honest, it was a little too expensive for “we’ll just pop into the church”. So we decided to change our minds and set off on a short tour around the cathedral.
Lo and behold, we discovered a “back entrance” to the cathedral where you could actually enter the church for free. Afterwards, we found out that the main entrance was also the entrance to the cathedral museum and that the entrance fee was for the museum visit. So my information was correct: if you only want to go into the church, you can do so free of charge!
About the cathedral
The Almudena Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena, is a central landmark of Madrid and one of the most important sights in the Spanish capital.
Although there were plans to build a new church in honor of Saint Mary of the Almudena, the patron saint of Madrid, as early as the 16th century, construction only began in 1883 with the laying of the foundation stone. King Alfonso XII and his wife María de las Mercedes, a devout admirer of the Virgin Mary, donated the plot of land next to the royal palace for the construction.
It took a while for the building to be completed. However, parts of it could be used even before the final completion. In 1911, for example, the Spanish regent Maria Christina of Austria opened the church’s neo-romantic crypt. In the 1940s, the architects of the time decided to make some changes to the building plans. They wanted to match the exterior appearance of the church to that of the palace and, above all, achieve faster construction progress.
It was not until 1993 that the building was consecrated by the then Pope and elevated to the status of Episcopal Church of the Archdiocese of Madrid.
“Pop art decor” in the Almudena Cathedral
Construction of the Almudena Cathedral began in the neo-Gothic style. Later, they switched to the neoclassical style in order to adapt the church building to the look of the palace.
If you only look at the exterior of the cathedral, you would expect to find similar styles inside. So I was all the more surprised at how modern the church interior is. There are even elements of “pop art” décor here, designed by icon painter Kiko Argüello.
The cathedral was built in the shape of a Latin cross. There is a central nave, two side aisles and the choir room with the ambulatory.
At first glance, the church interior looks like many other churches. In the southern transept, for example, there is the altar of St. Mary of the Almudena, the patron saint of Madrid. Another chapel, the central choir chapel, is dedicated to Saint Isidoro Labrador and his wife. There is also a sarcophagus from the 13th century, which contained the saint’s remains for many years.
The chapels that flank the nave on both sides are completely astonishing to me. Here you will find chapels dedicated to contemporary saints and designed in the same way. I have never seen chapels dedicated to the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, for example, or one dedicated to the Carmelite nun Maravillas de Jesús. This shows that the construction of the church is still quite new and that “new” people have made their mark on church life.
A particularly striking feature of the interior is the ceiling design. Unlike traditional cathedrals, with often dark, wood-carved ceilings or stone vaults, the Almudena Cathedral surprises with a modern, colorful ceiling. The use of bright colors and patterns gives the interior a warm and inviting atmosphere.
It becomes really modern when you look at the design of the apse. The windows, which were only completed in 2004, really surprise me. Modern shapes and colors, clear structures dominate the picture.
The windows play with the light and bathe the interior in a play of colors that changes throughout the day and creates a special atmosphere. I really like them.
The crypt
The crypt of the Almudena Cathedral, accessible via a staircase from the nave, is a contrast to the rest of the church. With its neo-Romanesque arches and atmospheric lighting, a visit to the crypt feels like a journey to another era. Here you will find beautiful mosaics and frescoes depicting religious scenes.
Address:
C. de Bailén, 10, Centro,
28013 Madrid, Spanien
Arrival
by metro
Óperea station (lines 2 and 5)
by train
Sol station (lines C3, C3a and C4)
by bus
Bus lines 3 and 148
Parking
The parking lots are located at Plaza de Oriente and Plaza Mayor.
Opening hours:
September – June
daily 10-20 h
July + August
daily 10-21 h
Entrance fee:
Visiting the Almudena Cathedral is free of charge. A donation is requested for the preservation of the church.
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