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It would be a huge mistake, having arrived in Madrid, not to get acquainted with the mysterious Almudena Cathedral. This majestic place stuns with its unusualness and uniqueness. The graceful cathedral combines the unusual style paired with the construction of the building, and the richness of the decor makes those who have been there for a long time retain vivid impressions of what they saw.
History of this architectural monument keeps many secrets and secret assumptions. It is said that at the beginning of the millennium, the apostle James delivered a statue of the Holy Virgin Mary to the territory of Spain. At that time, James, a devoted supporter and follower of Jesus, was spreading among the pagans in the Iberian Peninsula Christian faith.
However, according to historical facts, soon Arab conquerors came to these lands, distinguished by their special composure and cruelty, so the peaceful Spaniards decided to hide sacred relic. At the same time, having fulfilled their plans to the conscience, they could not find a valuable statue after being freed from the enemy.
Features of the architectural solutions of the cathedral
They decided to celebrate a significant victory over the Arabs with an unusual prayer service. What happened next has no documentary basis, but, nevertheless, this version remains the main one. When the praying crowd wandered through the streets, the wall of one of the houses collapsed in an incredible way, and all those present saw the beautiful statue of St. Mary.
To this day, the Holy Virgin Mary is preserved in the cathedral, but this relic copy is much younger than its ancient counterpart. To this patroness of Madrid, the Virgin of Almudena, who arrived in the 16th century, the Spanish monarchs decided to build a real grandiose haven, which became the Almudena Cathedral.
The first stone was laid by the king in 1884. The architect Francisco de Cubas, who was very popular in those days, laid the foundation for construction work.
The era of the warrior of the 19th century significantly influenced the course of the construction of a brilliant creation. The successive revolutions and battles did not give the founder de Cubas a chance to see the completed Almuden Cathedral.
Only in the mid-50s of the last century, Fernando Goitia began the final stage of recreating the greatest architectural monument. However, the architect's new layout had little in common with de Cubas' first project. This influenced the harmony of the styles of the temple with the neighboring buildings, including the palace of the Spanish king. In 1993, the Pope arrived in Madrid and consecrated the Almudena Cathedral.
The result of the creation of architects of different times was the building unique beauty. The Almudena Cathedral, built of marble and granite, ideally combines two styles at once: Romantic and Gothic, which makes it difficult to attribute the cathedral to any particular era.
Almudena Cathedral - inside view
Considering the internal splendor of the temple, it is impossible not to be amazed at its superiority. Standing in the bronze doors, which are the property of the whole of Madrid, you can see the image of the events of the very day when the Spaniards found the statue of the Virgin Mary. Then, going deep into the cathedral, a lot of graceful figurines, painted walls, an impressive dome surprise with their originality.
Almudena Cathedral and the residence of the monarchs of Spain, neighboring nearby, complement each other favorably against the backdrop of city buildings. Although they were built in completely different years.
Almuden Cathedral is classified as a modern architectural creation, but it appearance indicates that Madrid can rightly be called a representative of the Old World. The truly amazing dimensions of the building (with a length of 104 meters and a width of 76 meters) justify its purpose - to serve God.
Iconostasis of Almudena Cathedral (FaceMePLS / flickr.com)
The visual massiveness of the temple is complemented by three naves, a large altar aisle, reminiscent of catholic cross. Also, the cathedral keeps the relics of St. Isidra here.
A truly royal delightful place is the Almudena Cathedral. This special building, to which the most talented masters of the construction business had a hand, still serves as a source of inspiration for today's architects.
By the way, girls born in traditional believing families are given names in honor of saints, and they are even called the same as miraculous images Virgin Mary. Therefore, in Madrid it is very common female name Almudena. Remembering the most prominent bearers of the name, one cannot fail to mention such beautiful and talented women as Almudena Fernandez (Spanish actress) and rhythmic gymnast Almudena Cid.
Thousands of travelers from all over the world constantly come to admire the uniqueness of this amazing place. Not far from the Almudena Cathedral, a convenient observation deck has been built, allowing you to enjoy gorgeous views and see Madrid in all its glory.
Almudena Cathedral in Madrid (Spain) - description, history, location. The exact address and website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
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Almudena Cathedral - 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 gates attract attention: the bas-reliefs depict biblical stories 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.
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
From ancient sources catholic history it is known 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.
Description of attractions by category of interest
City in architecture and monuments w
The foundation stone for the construction of the Cathedral of Saint Almudena was laid in 1833. Initially, the drawings were made by the Marquis Francisco de Cubas, he planned to create a building in a neo-Gothic building. In 1911, a tomb was completed in order to bury Maria de Las Mercedes in this dark but majestic place. But the building process was not fast. The construction of the cathedral took a long time, there was a period after the civil war, when it seemed that the construction would never be continued. Much in the cathedral deserves attention. The 19th century belongs to the graves that require attention, which are located in its chapel. The painting, "Immaculate fleur de lis", is located in the left nave. It is made on plaster and dates back to no later than the 16th century. The original design of Francisco de Cubas was significantly reformed in 1944, when construction continued under the supervision of the masters Sidro and Chueco Goitia. The latest works date only to 1993, the same year the consecration ceremony of the cathedral by Pope John Paul II took place. To date, the facades of the building belong to the neoclassical style, only the 75-meter dome differs from the general sustained style - it belongs to the neo-baroque.
The most popular tourist places Must see r
Almudena Cathedral is the cathedral of Madrid. If you are planning to visit this is definitely beautiful place, then it will not be difficult to find it - the cathedral is located opposite one of the first points in the tourist bus, a mansion that acts as a royal residence. The Holy Virgin of Almudena, which translates from Arabic as "fortress", gave the name to this cathedral. This name is not accidental, its roots came from one story. According to this legend, the statue of the Virgin Mary was found immured in the wall of an Arab fortification. In Spain, she is considered the benefactor of Madrid.
Religion and philosophy r
According to legend, the statue was brought to Spain by the Apostle James, a righteous Christian who brought his religion to the inhabitants of the Pyrenees. Christians hid the figurine of the Holy Virgin of Almuden during the attack of the enemy Arab troops. Alphonse VI, the liberator of Madrid, knew that the statue was hidden in the city, but did not know where exactly, and the search for him was unsuccessful. In honor of the liberation of the city, its inhabitants walked in a solemn procession, and it was at that moment that stones fell from one house. And in the rift, the believers saw the image of their benefactor. For long tens and hundreds of years, the figurine of the Holy Virgin was kept in the church of Santa Maria, after which the relic was sent for storage to one of the monasteries.
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. 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 desirable to own at least at the initial level Spanish because 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
