Almudena Cathedral in Madrid is the main cathedral of the city. Almudena Cathedral - the magnificent cathedral of Madrid Cathedral in Madrid

At the entrance to Madrid from the southwest side, against the backdrop of the city, the white towers of the Almudena Cathedral, built in neo-Gothic style, are clearly visible.

“Holy Virgin of Almudena” is the name given to the statue of the Blessed Virgin, which patronizes the capital of Spain. Word Almudena from Arabic it is translated as “fortress” or “bridgehead”, since, according to legend, the figurine of the Virgin Mary was found in the wall of an ancient Arab fortress.

According to the same legend, the statue of the Blessed Virgin of Almudena was brought to Spain by the Apostle James, who preached the Christian faith in the Pyrenees in the 1st century. When these lands were captured by the Arabs, the believers decided to safely hide the statue of their heavenly patroness from the invaders. King Alphonse VI, who managed to conquer Madrid from the Arabs in 1083, was aware that this miraculous image was hidden somewhere in the city, but all efforts to find it were in vain. And only after a solemn prayer, at the moment when the procession led by the king was moving through the streets of Madrid, two stones unexpectedly fell out of the wall of one house, and the statue in all its glory appeared before the admiring gaze of the marchers. But this is just a legend, whether it was so or not, one can only guess ...

For two centuries, the statue of Saint Almudena was kept in the old Madrid Cathedral of Santa Maria, and after it was demolished, in one of the monasteries. The current Cathedral of St. Almudena was built in 1833 just opposite the royal palace. Its construction proceeded at a very slow pace, and shortly before the Spanish Civil War, it was completely stopped. Construction began again only in 1944, and now the cathedral is almost completely ready, but inside it is almost empty. Despite the fact that there is practically nothing inside, in 1993 Pope John Paul II consecrated the cathedral.

Many wonder why there was no cathedral in Madrid. The answer is simple - the city simply was not the center of the episcopate. On March 9, 1884, Pope Leo XIII approves the Episcopate of Madrid-Alcala with the Bull Romani Pontifices. On April 4, 1884, Alphonse XII opened the foundation stone ceremony for the new cathedral, planned as a tomb for his first wife, Marie de las Mercedes d'Orléans y Bourbon, who died of tuberculosis 6 months after the wedding. The first Neo-Gothic project was planned by the Marquis Francisco de Cubas.

The Neo-Romanesque tomb was opened in Amouden Cathedral in 1911. There are several important burials of the 19th century, as well as the painting "Immaculate with fleur de lis" - created on plaster in the 16th century. The original design of de Cubas was changed quite a lot in 1944 by the architects Carl Sidro and Fernando Chueca-Goitia, and construction was completed in 1993, when the cathedral was consecrated by the Pope

Of particular note is the dome of the cathedral, 75 meters high, decorated in the neo-baroque style, while the facades are made in the neoclassical Herreresco. The length of the central nave is 99 meters, and the transept is 65 meters. During the construction, mainly stone-sandstone, limestone and granite were used.

The main altar is made of green Granada marble. The 17th-century crucifix that adorns the altar was created in the Baroque style by Juan de Mesa. The painting behind the altar, "The Unveiling of Christ", was painted in the 17th century by Francisco Rizzi. Choir chairs made of walnut from the end of the 16th century were brought here from the ancient church of St. Carmen. The side chapels are dedicated to the saints of Madrid, some of them without any decorations at all. The most interesting decorations of the chapels of the cathedral are the figure of John the Baptist of the 18th century. the work of Michel, in the first chapel on the right, in the right wing of the transept - a retablo of Juan of Burgundy from the beginning of the 16th century, the same period, the figure of the Virgin Almudena, the patroness of the city. In the aisle behind the altar there is a casket with the remains of St. Isidra, an interesting work of the 18th century with paintings, and “Reclining Christ” by Juan de Avalos. In the first chapel on the left - "Christ tied to a pole", the work of Giaccomo Colombo.

In May 2004, the wedding of Crown Prince Felipe and TV presenter Letizia Ortiz took place in the Almudena Cathedral. The cathedral and the square attract many tourists who constantly visit this place. You can freely visit Almudena and see everything, but it is advisable to speak Spanish at least at the initial level, since few people in Madrid understand English, and certainly no one knows Russian. A Russian-Spanish phrase book will come in handy and will help you get comfortable when sightseeing

In Madrid, which is the official residence of the Spanish monarchs, the neo-Gothic cathedral of Almudena, which is the central place of the diocese, catches the eye. The full name of the cathedral sounds like Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena. The cathedral got its name in honor of the statue of the Holy Virgin of Almudena, who is considered the patroness of Madrid.

Legends of Madrid

It is known from ancient sources of Catholic history that the statue was brought to Spanish soil by the Apostle James himself. In the first century AD, Jacob spread the word of the Lord in the Pyrenees and converted the pagans to the Christian faith. After that, Spain knew a lot of wars and destruction. There is a period when most of the land was captured by the Arabs. However, believers at that time were able to hide the statue from foreign aggressors. At the end of the eleventh century, King Alphonse the fourth recaptured Madrid from the Moors and then tried to find the missing statue of the Holy Virgin, but the relic was nowhere to be found.

However, after a festive prayer service was held in the capital in honor of the victory of the king, the entire procession of the winners set off through the streets of the capital with a solemn procession, and suddenly, in front of the believing Spaniards, several stones fell in the wall of one of the houses, and under them everyone saw the same statue.

The history of the creation of the Almudena Cathedral

For centuries, the statue of Saint Almudena was in the Cathedral of Santa Maria. Later, the cathedral was destroyed and the statue was hidden in a monastery. The modern Cathedral of St. Almudena began to be built only in 1833. Construction was carried out at an extremely slow pace, and just before the civil war, work was stopped. The construction of the cathedral began again already in 1944, and now, after almost two hundred years, the cathedral is almost completed. However, inside it is still not equipped and its walls are not decorated in any way, which does not prevent it from taking its place among the leaders.

Unfortunately, tourists are not allowed inside the cathedral now due to reconstruction. However, next to the cathedral itself there is an excellent observation deck, from where a magical panorama of the Spanish capital opens.

Useful information for tourists:

Address: Calle de Bailen, 10 28013 Madrid
Phone: +34 915 42 22 00
Entry fee: 6 Euro;
Pensioners, students and disabled people: 4 Euro.
Working hours: Mon - Sat from 10:00 to 14:30
How to get there:
By metro: Opera station (lines 2 and 5);
By bus: lines 3 and 148 to the Bailen Mayor stop.

Almudena Cathedral in Madrid (Spain) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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Almudena Cathedral is the main and most famous cathedral in Madrid, located next to the Royal Palace. The construction of the cathedral began in 1884 under King Alfonso XII, and was opened to the public only in 1993, when all the interior decoration was completed. The king personally laid the first stone in the foundation of the future cathedral: he planned to bury his wife Maria de las Mercedes of Orleans, who died suddenly of tuberculosis, within its walls.

Almudena Cathedral, like many others, has its own legend. They say that the statue of Maria Almudena was personally brought to Spain by the Apostle James, who preached the Christian faith in the country. But since Spain was conquered by the Arabs in the 1st century, the valuable artifact had to be hidden. They hid the statue so well that when Alfonso VI conquered Spain from the Arabs back in the 11th century, they could not find it. But one day, when a procession was going through the city after a solemn prayer service, several stones fell out of the wall of one of the houses by themselves, and under them they found a lost statue of the Blessed Virgin. Since then, the Virgin Mary of Almudena has been considered the patroness of Madrid.

The statue of Maria Almudena really exists and is still kept within the walls of the cathedral. True, it dates from the 16th century, and not the first. It was in honor of her that they decided to build a whole cathedral, but construction began only at the end of the 19th century. The building itself is made in the neoclassical style with elements of neo-gothic and romanticism; later, in 1911, a tomb in the neo-romanesque style was added to it.

The World Wars and the Spanish Civil War slowed down the construction of the cathedral. In 1944, when passions subsided, the architect Fernando Chueco-Goitia resumed work and slightly changed the appearance of the facade so that it looked harmoniously next to the royal palace.

In 1993, Pope John Paul II consecrated the cathedral, and in honor of this, a statue with his image was erected in front of the cathedral building. In 2004, King Felipe and Leticia Ortiz got married here.

External and internal decoration of the cathedral

In addition to the building itself, its gate attracts attention: the bas-reliefs depict biblical scenes, the details are very clearly drawn. The cathedral itself is very light and bright, as the sunlight penetrates through the stained-glass windows and leaves multi-colored reflections everywhere. The altar is completely made of green marble and resembles Orthodox altars. This is due to the fact that the Spanish sculptor Kiko Argüello, who made it, was very interested in Orthodox icon painting and, in particular, in the work of Andrei Rublev.

A museum has been opened at the temple, where you can see valuable icons and other relics. Organ music concerts are often held on weekends.

Practical Information

Address: Madrid, Calle Bailen 10.

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 21:00; The museum is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:30.

Entrance: free, but voluntary donations are welcome.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena is the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Madrid. Built in the 20th century, Almudena is a very new temple by European standards with a modern design that reflects its youth.

Myths and facts

Almudena in Arabic means. According to legend, a small statue of the Virgin Mary was found in the wall of an ancient Arab fortress on this site. In honor of the patroness of Madrid, Saint Mary de la Almudena, a temple was built.

When King Philip II made Madrid the capital of Spain in the 16th century, the inhabitants began to hatch plans for a grand new temple. But construction was constantly delayed due to various political issues and opposition from the archdiocese.

Finally, in 1868, Madrid received permission from Toledo to build a new temple in honor of Our Lady of Almudena. Construction began in 1883 based on a neo-gothic design. A year later, Pope Leo XIII established the Diocese of Madrid, raising the status of the new church to a cathedral. The architectural plans have been updated to reflect the high status of the building.

The construction of the cathedral progressed slowly and stopped completely during the civil war of the 1930s. This process continued in 1944 when the architect introduced a new neoclassical style that would fit in next door.

The cathedral was completed only in 1993 and consecrated by Pope John Paul II, whose statue is installed in front of the temple in memory of the momentous event. In 2004, the luxurious wedding of Prince Felipe and TV presenter Leticia Ortiz took place here.

What to see

The bright interior of the Almudena Cathedral is based on the Gothic style, but modern and modest compared to most. "Pop Art" stained glass windows, as it was recently found out, are copies.

Despite the lack of architectural merit or historical significance, the Almudena Cathedral is worth a visit for its uniqueness, modern beauty and huge size: the building is 104 m long and 76 m wide, with a central dome 20 m in diameter.

Spain also has the largest gothic cathedral Europe - in Seville, the main pilgrimage center of Catholicism -

Having visited the Spanish capital, it is impossible to ignore the stunning beauty of the Almudena Cathedral. splendor interior decoration a unique combination architectural styles, the enchanting beauty of the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena attracts tourists and locals alike. It will be discussed in the article.

Legends and traditions

The mysterious history of the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid is known to every Spaniard and will be happy to tell. The legend says that the Apostle James, preaching Christianity and converting pagans, brought a figurine of the Virgin Mary to the territory of modern Spain. Soon the Arabs seized power in the country. Local residents hid the sacred relic and for many years it could not be found. In 1083 the country was liberated from the Muslims. After the solemn prayer service, King Alphonse VI rode with a festive procession through the streets of the city. The wall of the fortress collapsed and an undamaged statue of the Mother of God appeared before the gaze of all those gathered. In Arabic, Al mudayna means citadel or fortress. And the returned relic began to be called the Virgin of Almudena.

Today, the temple houses a 16th-century statue venerated by the people of Madrid as the protector of the city, the Virgin of Almudena.

Construction of the cathedral

Not being the center of the diocese, the city did not have a cathedral. Having proclaimed Madrid the capital of the state in the 16th century, King Philip II set out to build a church on the site of an Arab mosque. But construction was constantly delayed due to political and economic instability in the country. In 1883, after the sudden death of his wife, King Alfonso XII of Spain built a crypt in which the statue of Mary of Almudena was installed.

In 1884, Pope Leo XIII established the Diocese of Madrid. The capital acquired a bishop and the church received the status Initially, the project was created in neo-Gothic style by the Marquis Francisco de Cubas. The construction of the great church was repeatedly stopped and dragged on for more than 100 years. In 1944, the project was finalized and corrected by the architects Fernando Chueca-Goitia and Carl Sidro. The personal consecration of the finished cathedral by the Pope took place only in June 1993. This significant event is evidenced by the statue of the Pope in the square in front of the temple.

Architectural ensemble

Located on Armory Square opposite Royal Palace Almudena Cathedral, combining in its exterior neo-romanticism with neo-gothic and baroque styles, forms an organic ensemble with the residence of the monarchs. Limestone, sandstone, marble and granite were used in the construction of the temple. The light gray facades of the cathedral and the Herreresco palace harmoniously complement each other. The huge bronze entrance gates to the temple are decorated with a story about the mysterious discovery of the statue of the Virgin Mary. The high (75 m) dome of the cathedral was built under the leadership of Chueca-Goytia in the neo-baroque style.

The interior of the Almudena Cathedral

A distinctive feature of the temple is its location. Traditionally, churches "look" to the west and east, while the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid faces south and north. Its interior layout is reminiscent of the very bright space of the temple, modestly decorated with numerous figures, canvases, frescoes and mosaics. The cathedral's chapels contain important 19th-century burials. The main altar in Granada is surmounted by a baroque crucifixion of Christ, made in the 17th century by Mesa.

In the space behind the altar is a painting by Francisco Rizzi "Taking off the clothes of Christ", painted at the same time. The left wing of the transept is decorated with a painting on plaster "Immaculate with fleur de lis", dating from the 16th century. From the ancient church of St. Carmen, the chairs of the choirs, made at the end of the 16th century from walnut, were transferred to the cathedral.

The most majestic and significant decorations of the chapels of the cathedral are the figurine of the Virgin and the stunning beauty of the retablo of Juan of Burgundy, made in the 16th century, the statue of John the Baptist, the work of Michel of the 18th century, "Christ tied to a pole" by Giacomo Colombo. In the aisle behind the altar there is a casket with the remains of St. Isidra. The discreet beauty of the spacious temple and the huge mosaic dome amaze visitors with their grandeur.

Cathedral visit

Celebrations in honor of the Virgin of Almuden are held annually on November 9th. The great church and the royal family do not bypass their attention: the Spanish prince, and today in May 2004 he got married in the Almudena Cathedral with his bride, TV presenter Letizia Ortiz. The cathedral receives visitors free of charge every day throughout the year, with the exception of some holidays. A cursory tour of the entire temple takes about an hour.

The lucky ones who got to the service will forever remember the majestic organ music and the singing of the church choir. There is a museum at the temple, where for 6 euros you can see church jewelry, clothes, books and interior details. There is an observation deck under the dome of the vault, which offers a stunning view of the city streets.

Having settled in a hotel near the Almudena Cathedral (7 islas, Hotel City House Florida Norte Madrid), you have the opportunity to thoroughly explore the sights of the central part of Madrid: visit the San Miguel Bazaar, the Royal Opera House, the richest monastery in Europe - the monastery of the "barefoot princesses" Descalzas Reales and many other amazing places.