Before you is the Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena, opposite the Royal Palace. For centuries Madrid was a capital without a cathedral, and this one took more than a hundred years to complete.
1A century in the making
King Alfonso XII laid the foundation stone on 4 April 1883. The original design, by the Marquis of Cubas, was Neo-Gothic. The crypt, in Neo-Romanesque style, was built first and opened for worship in 1911. Work was interrupted several times, and in 1950 Fernando Chueca Goitia and Carlos Sidro won the competition to finish it: they kept the Gothic interior and gave the exterior a classical look, in harmony with the palace. Pope John Paul II consecrated it on 15 June 1993.
2An unusual cathedral
That is why it combines three styles: Neo-Romanesque in the crypt, Neo-Gothic inside and Neoclassical outside. Inside, the brightly coloured ceiling by José Luis Galicia and the apse paintings by Kiko Argüello catch the eye. In 2004 the wedding of the current King and Queen, Felipe and Letizia, was held here.
According to tradition, Alfonso VI found the image of the Virgin hidden in a section of the city wall, with the candles still burning.
3Practical tips
The cathedral museum includes the climb to the dome, with views over old Madrid. The crypt has its own entrance on the Cuesta de la Vega.
Documented
The foundation stone was laid in 1883, the crypt opened in 1911 and John Paul II consecrated the cathedral on 15 June 1993.
Oral tradition
Alfonso VI’s discovery of the image of the Virgin in the city wall, with the candles still burning, is a traditional tale.
Sources and credits
Arzobispado de Madrid and Catedral de la Almudena (official website and museum); esMadrid; Pedro Navascués, ‘Arquitectura y arquitectos madrileños del siglo XIX’ (1973). How we research.
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