Madrid Tourist Guide: Almudena Cathedral Video Guide - Travel & Discover

Madrid is a city with multiple religions and cultures. It offers much in the way of noteworthy religious sites, particularly the huge modern 20th-century Almudena Cathedral. The main entrance of the cathedral shows two towers made of granite, which emphasize the Both facades have cornices, bases and capitals of columns, and stone ornamentation carved in Colmenar stone. On the north facade is a sculpture of Nuestra Señora de la Almudena. Lacking the architectural merit or historical significance of other European cathedrals, Almudena Cathedral is nonetheless worth a visit, due to its uniqueness, modern beauty and sheer size. The facade, with superimposed orders set between two towers, looks onto the Almería Square. The first plans for building a great cathedral in Madrid date from the 16th century. The project was abandoned until 1950, when Fernando Chueca Goita adapted the plans of De Cuba's to a Baroque exterior to match the grey and white facade of the Palacio Real. The cathedral has a double dome, which is Gothic inside and Baroque outside. On the dome, the Twelve Apostles are represented. In front of the cathedral, a place was built that serves as a huge atrium. The massive construction project was long dogged by controversy, not least because of the mixture of styles that resulted from the various modifications of the plans. This impressive monument is located in one of the most beautiful areas of the city. The design of this facade shows some escorial influence in its monumentality and nudity, broken only by the bronze doors. These works by the sculptor Sanguino represent the discovery of the Virgin de la Almudena by King Alfonso VI of Castile. The cathedral was opened by Pope John Paul II in 1993. The crypt was opened for worship in 1911, but the construction was halted until after the civil war, when architects Fernando Chueco Goita and Carlos Cidro were placed in charge of the project. The crypt is built in a Neo-Romanesque style and is home to a 16th century picture of the Virgin de la Almudena.