The only church in Spain consecrated by the Pope - Cathedral of Our Lady of Almudena in Madrid

The only church in Spain consecrated by the Pope - Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena in Madrid C. de Bailén, 10, Centro, 28013 Madrid Madrid's Cathedral, located in the Austrias district of Madrid, has a short but checkered history. The original design of the church was drawn by Francisco de Gubas in 1879 and was originally intended as a mausoleum for the late Queen Maria Mercedes. The first cornerstone was laid in 1883, but when Pope Leo XIII issued a bull in 1885 opening a bishopric in Madrid-Alcalá, the church project became a main church project. In 1561, Spain moved its capital from Toledo to Madrid, but the church center remained in Toledo, leaving the new capital without a cathedral, even though Spain is a Catholic country. There were plans to build this church as early as the 16th century, and it was decided to dedicate the church to Our Lady of Almudena, but construction was not officially started until 1879. Gubas thus made a new design, which was more majestic than the original design. It was inspired by the French Gothic style of the 13th century and added the three archbishops of Reims, Chartres and Leon. Some elements of the church. This project, which for the first time included a huge Romanesque crypt, later became the benchmark for the final architectural decision. The cathedral was conceived as a church of thanksgiving dedicated by the people, but ultimately donations fell short and work was delayed and inflated. In 1899, the Marquis of Cubas died, and the engineering directors were replaced by Miguel Ola Barria, Enrique Gerpuez and Juan Moya. The basement was opened in 1911, but construction was halted during the Civil War and restarted in 1939 due to resource constraints. Since then its aesthetic concept has changed, and a Gothic-style cathedral is no longer suitable because it is incompatible with the general environment of the time. By 1944, the General Directorate of Aesthetics and Art launched a nationwide call for new architectural solutions, which was ultimately won by Fernando Quéca Gaudía and Carlos Sidero. According to the architectural plan, the church was built in the neo-Gothic style, retaining some of the characteristics of the Gothic church on the wings. The main body was borrowed from Baroque architecture, using a semicircular blue-gray dome design, and a full-body ceiling. The snow-white walls add to the noble and elegant style. It is one of the most essential buildings in Madrid that arouses the desire of tourists to take photos. Work was restarted in 1950, the cloister was completed in 1955, and the main wall was completed in 1960. It was not until 1993 that the main church was completely completed. After completion, the church has a total length of 102 meters, a nave length of 82 meters, a transverse nave length of 68 meters, a height from the dome to the cross of 73 meters, a main nave height of 25.8 meters, a main nave width of 12.5 meters, and a total area of ​​4,800 square meters. Unlike most churches, which are oriented east-west, it is oriented north-south. Although the church is large, the lighting design is very good. During the day, almost no lights are needed to illuminate the wide space inside. Especially the brightest area of ​​the Cross of Jesus makes good use of natural light sources. On June 15, 1993, Pope Juan Paul II consecrated it during his fourth trip to Spain, making it the latest cathedral in Europe and the only cathedral in Spain consecrated by the pope. past church. The reason for the construction of the church is also closely related to love. In 1879 AD, the first wife of Alfonso XII, the son of Queen Isabella II of Spain, Princess Maria Mercedes of Orleans (Queen Maria de las Mercedes de Orleans (1860-1879), who was queen for only more than 5 months, died of tuberculosis at the age of 18. During her lifetime, she hoped to build a Notre Dame church opposite the palace. According to the tradition at that time, a queen without children could not be buried in the royal cemetery. Alfonso XII, who loved her deeply, decided to set aside this place to build a cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of Almudena, and then placed her tomb in Almudena. Under the altar of Our Lady in the Church of Our Lady of Modena, to fulfill her wish. On May 22, 2004, Prince Felipe, the eldest son of Carlos I, the current Spanish King Philip VI, held a wedding in this church. This was also the first wedding hosted by this church. Church is free. Audio guide: €1.50. Museum admission: 7€ Metro: Ópera (L2, L5, R) Bus routes: 3, 31, 50, 65, 148, SE712, N16 Short train: Madrid-Sol schedule: September to June: Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 20:00 July and August: Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 21:00 The church is not open to the public during religious celebrations. Museum: Monday to Saturday: 10:00 - 14:30