We love visiting European cathedrals to admire the unique architecture and Madrid’s Almudena Cathedral was truly worth a stop. This beautiful cathedral was located next to El Palacio Real but the entrance was on the other side of the courtyard.
The best pictures of the cathedral’s front facade was from the Royal Palace’s courtyard. Construction for the church started in 1883 but was declared completed in 1993 due to wars, architectural changes and politics. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Almudena, Madrid’s female patron saint.
There was a little courtyard by the entrance of the church with a statue of Pope John Paul II. The three doors into the church were all beautifully carved and very detailed. It was free to enter but a donation box was prominently placed by the door. This was a pretty big cathedral so even with plenty of visitors it never felt too crowded.
The gold plated altarpiece inside was exquisitely beautiful made up of 18 boards that was supposed to depict Christ’s life. There were certain times when a group of visitors could go up to see the altar and tabernacle.
There was also a beautiful organ displayed on the second floor on one of the wings.
The “pop art” stained glass windows were amazing and was a bit of a contrast to the church’s overall architecture and provided plenty of light inside. The colorful ceilings high above were also a sight to behold.
There were various enclaves containing statues of and dedicated to different saints with prayer boxes. It could be particularly challenging bringing small children here. My kids were used to church decorum and we still reminded them before entering to be on their best behaviour. There was no mass going on but many people were praying and sitting on the pews. We sat down for a few minutes, prayed for a safe trip and to admire this wonderful church.
There was also a gift shop selling religious items and some Madrid souvenirs. Prices were similar to the other shops around the city but with very limited selections. There were a couple of bottled water vending machines on the side of the store. The dome could be accessed for some Madrid views but we didn’t get to go up.
Website:Address: C/ BAILÉN, 8-10 28013 Madrid Metro Stop: OPERA
Related Links: