About this place
For a capital city, Madrid waited a remarkably long time for a cathedral. Although the city became the seat of the Spanish court in 1561, construction of the Catedral de la Almudena did not begin until 1883, and the building was not finished and consecrated until 1993, by Pope John Paul the Second, the first Spanish cathedral a pope ever consecrated. The long delay shows in its unusual mix of styles: a Baroque-influenced exterior designed to harmonise with the Royal Palace opposite, a soaring neo-Gothic nave, and a startlingly bright, colourful modern ceiling. It is dedicated to the Virgin of the Almudena, Madrid's patron saint, whose image was said to have been hidden in the old city wall during Moorish rule and miraculously rediscovered. A crypt beneath the cathedral, in neo-Romanesque style, is worth seeking out.
Key facts
- 1883 year — Construction finally began, more than three centuries after Madrid became the capital
- 1993 year — The cathedral was consecrated by Pope John Paul II, the first he ever consecrated in Spain
- 104 metres — The length of the cathedral's interior, oriented north to south to face the palace
📍 Plaza de la Armería, 28013, Madrid