Catedral de la Almudena

The Almudena Cathedral was built between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and is the only Spanish cathedral consecrated by a pope, the pope John Paul (1993). Francisco de Cubas, the architect, also known by the name: Marqués de Cubas, proposed and directed its construction in a Gothic Revival style and drew influence from Viollet-le-Duc, a French architect, archaeologist and writer. In 1965, the construction was halted due to lack of funds and support from the city council until resuming again in 1984, the year in which Madrid became a diocese thanks to Pope Leo XIII. The cathedral is located a few meters from the Royal Palace and measures 104m long and 76m wide. Both the central interior dome and the interior decoration are Neo-Gothic, in contrast with the exterior lines, predominantly neoclassical and baroque. Inside the cathedral you’ll discover masterpieces such as Los Preparativos para la Crucifixión by Francisco Ricci (1651) or the Cristo Yacente, a sculpture of Jesus Christ with hyper-realistic detailing, by John Avalos.