Almudena is the large cathedral situated just south of the Royal Palace. Built between 1883 and 1993, after 110 years of off and on construction, the cathedral was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. Opening Hours are 9am to 8.30pm (Sept-June) and 10am to 9pm (July-Aug).

The interior of the cathedral is of an interesting blend of Neo-gothic architecture and artworks that cover an array of genres from historical revival to modern. The ceiling is colourfully decorated and the apse mosaic works by Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik are pleasant to see. The nave includes numerous side chapels that are worth a quick look. There is a crypt and museum that form part of the church if you wish to see these as well.

Note: There is a brochure you can pick up just as you enter the church. This is helpful to use if you are interested in the contents within the cathedral that you will be seeing.

The exterior of Almudena is interesting and worth viewing as well. It is impressive scale, the front including two bell towers and subtle facade and you can see the large dome if you step back a fair distanc from the entrance. The colour scheme is grey and white, which comes across as subtle and complements the Palace and Plaza de Armas.

Tip: For nice pictures of the church facade, stand back towards the entrance gate of Palacio Real and you can capture the full cathedral in the frame of you lens.

Note: Near this side entrance are two interesting monuments that are worth viewing before or after you enter the church. These are the Pope John Paul II statue (1998) and the recently added Homeless Jesus statue (2016). These are found just near the souvenir and gift shop on the cathedral grounds.

Overall, Almudena Cathedral is a fairly interesting church to visit and is conveniently located just next to the Royal Palace. Give it 20-30 minutes and you'll have a good feel for the church. However, you'll need to allow extra time if you want to include time in the crypt and museum.