Almudena Cathedral

In 1561, when the capital of Spain was moved from Toledo to Madrid, the Church in Spain remained in Toledo and Madrid was left without a cathedral. Although plans to construct a cathedral in Madrid dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena had been discussed in the 16th century, the cost of expanding and maintaining the Empire took precedence over the construction of the cathedral, even though Spain had built more than 40 cities overseas during that century, including numerous cathedrals and fortresses.

The original design for the building was that of a parochial church, created by Francisco de Cubas. However, when Pope Leo XIII granted a bull in 1885 for the creation of the Madrid-Alcalá bishopric, plans for the church were changed to that of a Gothic revival cathedral. The foundation stone was laid in 1883.

The cathedral appears to have been constructed on the site of a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083 when Alfonso VI reconquered Madrid. The Spanish Civil War interrupted construction, and the site remained abandoned until 1950, when Fernando Chueca Goitia adapted de Cubas' plans to a baroque exterior that matched the grey and white façade of the Palacio Real located directly opposite.

The cathedral was finally completed in 1993 and was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. Its patron saints are Santa María la Real de la Almudena and Saint Isidro Labrador. On 22 May 2004, the cathedral hosted the wedding of King Felipe VI, who was then the crown prince, to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano.

The interior of the cathedral is Neo-Gothic in style and features chapels and statues created by contemporary artists in a range of styles from historical revivals to "pop-art" decor. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel showcases mosaics by Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, while the icons in the apse were painted by Kiko Argüello, an artist and founder of the Neocatechumenal Way.

The Neo-Romanesque crypt houses a 16th-century image of the Virgen de la Almudena. Excavations along Calle Mayor have uncovered remains of Moorish and medieval city walls located nearby.

The Almudena Cathedral is the resting place for various notable individuals, such as:

• Her Majesty Mercedes of Orleans, who was the Queen of Spain (1860–1878)
• His Highness Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria (1884–1958)
• His Highness Jose Eugenio, Prince of Bavaria (1909–1966)
• His Highness Luis Alfonso, Prince of Bavaria (1906–1983)
• Her Highness Doña María de la Asunción Solange de Mesía y de Lesseps, who was the Princess of Bavaria and Countess of Odiel (1911–2005)
• Carmen Franco, the 1st Duchess of Franco (1926–2017)
• Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, the 10th Marquess of Villaverde (1922–1998)
• Francisco de Cubas, the I Marquess of Cubas (1826–1899)
• Francisco de Cubas y Erice, the II Marquess of Cubas, II Marquess of Fontalba, and Grandee of Spain (1868–1937)
• Estanislao de Urquijo y Landaluce, the I Marquess of Urquijo (1817-1889)
• Estanislao de Urquijo y Ussía, the III Marquess of Urquijo (1872-1948)
• Isabel de Maltrana y de Novales, the I Marquise de Maltrana (d. 1919)
• Luis de Pedroso y Madan, the V Count of San Esteban de Cañongo (1876-1952)
• María Dolores de Pedroso y Sturdza, the VI Countess of San Esteban de Cañongo
• Margarita de Pedroso y Sturdza, the VII Countess of San Esteban de Cañongo (1911-1989)
• Cardinal Ángel Suquía Goicoechea (1916–2006)
• Fernando Rielo Pardal (1923–2004)
• Alfonso Peña Boeuf (1888–1966)
• Enrique María Repullés (1845–1922)