Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Almudena Seat of the Archdiocese of Madrid (Magnificent Madrid Series 9)

Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Almudena 
Seat of the Archdiocese of Madrid
Magnificent Madrid Series 9 

Catedral de Santa María la Real de La Almudena 
or the Almudena Cathedral is the main seat of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid that was
was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

 

The church was apparently built on the site of
a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083.


The ruins of the 9th century structure called Muralla Árabe
or the Muslim Walls of Madrid, is found nearby the church.

 

 

The church is a combination of
Gothic and Baroque architecture,


..and a Neo-Gothic interior,




…with chapels bearing statues
created by of contemporary artists.






The arched multi- colored ceiling on
the main nave was a sight to behold
that goes all the way to the pipe organ.




The Neo-Romanesque crypt houses a 16th-century
image of the patron saint Virgen de la Almudena.


It had stairs the lead to a platform where
the devotees could kiss or touch the image.


Also known as Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Almudena,
this church is considered Madrid’s  center of faith and a must
visit  not only for Marian devotees but for the tourists as well.

Read the links below for related posts

Caceres to Madrid 
Scenic Train Ride to the Spanish Capital City
Magnificent Madrid Series 1 

La Pausa 
Madrid’s Welcome Feast 
Magnificent Madrid Series 2 

Petit Palace Opera 
Homey Hotel at the Heart of Madrid
Magnificent Madrid Series 3 

Calle Arenal 
Madrid’s Vibrant Street Mall
Magnificent Madrid Series 4

























Saturday, May 26, 2018

Palacio Real: Spain’s Ceremonial Royal Residence (Magnificent Madrid Series 8)

Palacio Real
 Spain’s Ceremonial Royal Residence
Magnificent Madrid Series 8 

Right infront of the Plaza de Oriente is
 the massive Royal Palace of Madrid. 



Also called Palacio Real de Madrid in Spanish,
it is the official residence of Spain’s Royal Family
in Madrid but only used for official state ceremonies.



King Felipe VI and the Royal Family do not reside
in the palace anymore but lives in the more modest
Palace of Zarzuela located on Madrid’s outskirts.



The palace is located on Calle de Bailén 
in the western part of downtown Madrid,



…with it’s main façade facing the Plaza de la Armeria.



Right across the plaza is the Almudena Cathedral.
the seat of the Archdiocese of Madrid



The palace was built King Felipe V in 1738, and
is the largest royal palace in Europe by floor area.



Several rooms in the palace are open to the public with 
an €11 admission fee.  and in some days it is free.

 

A visit or just having a glimpse of this
grand Royal Palace should be on the
bucket list for anyone visiting Madrid.

Read the links below for related posts

Caceres to Madrid 
Scenic Train Ride to the Spanish Capital City
Magnificent Madrid Series 1 

La Pausa 
Madrid’s Welcome Feast 
Magnificent Madrid Series 2 

Petit Palace Opera 
Homey Hotel at the Heart of Madrid
Magnificent Madrid Series 3 

Calle Arenal 
Madrid’s Vibrant Street Mall
Magnificent Madrid Series 4























Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Plaza de Oriente: Madrid’s Historic Centre (Magnificent Madrid Series 7)

Plaza de Oriente 
Madrid’s Historic Centre
Magnificent Madrid Series 7 

One of the most visited tourist attractions in the
historic centre of Madrid is the Plaza de Oriente. 



It is sandwiched between two important
landmarks in Madrid: The Royal Theatre



…at the Plaza de Isabel to the east,



….and the Royal Palace to the west.



Without a doubt this is one of the most stunning
architectural monuments and is not to be missed.
by anyone visiting the historic capital city of Spain



The square was built an opened in 1844,
with the 1640 equestrian statue of Felipe IV, 
by Italian Pedro Tacca as the park centerpiece.



Within Plaza de Oriente’s well manicured gardens,
are statues of twenty different Spanish monarchs,
making it an open museum of sculptural masterpieces.



The Plaza de Oriente suggests an eastern setting
despite being located in the west side of Madrid,



…but it was named that was as it lies
on the east side of the Palacio Real. 

 

Plaza de Oriente is a very popular tourist
attraction not only to the  visitors to the city,
but a popular meeting place for locals as well.



A visit to Madrid is never complete
without a trip to this grand plaza.

Read the links below for related posts

Caceres to Madrid 
Scenic Train Ride to the Spanish Capital City
Magnificent Madrid Series 1 

La Pausa 
Madrid’s Welcome Feast 
Magnificent Madrid Series 2 

Petit Palace Opera 
Homey Hotel at the Heart of Madrid
Magnificent Madrid Series 3 

Calle Arenal 
Madrid’s Vibrant Street Mall
Magnificent Madrid Series 4