La Cathedral de la Santa María de la Almudena

This is a must-see in Madrid! A beautiful cathedral, build in neoclassicism architecture, to make it fit with the style of the palacio real that is next to it.

The plans for the building were made in the 16th century, yet the construction was started only in the late 19th century, and took more than hundred years to complete. La Almudena has a very light interior, with colorful ceilings, modern painted glass windows, and even some pop-art influences. It is not the kind of building you imagine when thinking of a cathedral, but then again, it exceeds the expectations.

As I said before, this must be one of the most beautiful catholic buildings I've seen, together with the Saint Peter in Rome, the dome in Florence and the Chartres cathedral in France.

The entrance to the Almudena is free, when you want to visit the museum you need to pay though.