The palace line was enormous and we just couldn't face it after finally getting to Madrid after a long flight. My husband said that we should just visit the church and I agreed. What a beautiful church (and one that hosts all royal weddings)! Definitely go up to the top. You can get some great photos of the palace from the second floor and great views of the city and mountains from the 3rd floor. The Spanish churches definitely rival any in Italy.

The cathedral is located right next to the royal palace. No need to order tickets in advance (at least not during the high season). Very pretty views of the city from the roof. The internal halls are very impressive

I absolutely loved it. The layout is bizarre, but that makes it interesting. The colours on the ceiling, some walls, and windows are breathtaking. There’s a little vial of Pope John Paul II’s blood – a bit creepy if you ask me. I nearly didn’t go in because I thought the exterior was ugly / ordinary. I would have missed so much. If a friend were visiting Madrid, I would definitely recommend it. There is a voluntary €1 donation box at the entrance, which I think everyone walked past.

From a distance one could tell this was a cathedral of importance. It was an imposing structure that was built next to Palacio Real. Do take a walk around to side of the Cathedral facing Palacio Real to see the huge front doors cast (?) in metal. There was a metal gate in front but you can still see all the details. Once inside the neo gothic design was complemented by the very colorful ceiling and modern chapels. There was one dedicated to Pope John Paul II who consecrated the cathedral back in 1993 to wrap up almost 100 years of construction. Also of note was the 5000 pipe organ and the empty coffin of the patron saint of Madrid, Isidro. There was a 1 Euro donation upon entering and a separate optional fee to climb the tower for a view and see their museum. credit card donation kiosks were located throughout in case one did not have coins. We spent leas than half an hour inside but missed the crypts.

This was a great experience for my wife and myself. It was a cold and dreary day and the place was still pretty crowded. So this must be on everyone's bucket list. Enough of me pontificating here. Besides a picture is worth a thousand words.

Large Cathedral in Heart of Madrid - located in front of the Royal Palace, this large cathedral is a relatively new one and the interior largely reflects this. Some of the side altars are nice. If you can visit the cathedral crypt, it’s well worth it and has an ‘older’ feel than the interior of the cathedral itself.

Only took 120 years to build but its one of the most "modern" Cathedrals I have been to since it only opened in 1993. We walked around on a Sunday just before mass. Free to enter and well worth the 15-20 min to walk around.

Massive cathedral, supported by more than 400 columns. Taking more than 120 years to complete, the cathedral was finally consecrated in 1993. The structure is an unusual mixture of archetecture, with a neoclassical exterior, neo-Gothic interior, and neo-Romanesque crypt. The cathedral allows free access (1 euro requested donation). Located across from the Royal Palace. The interior is rather plain, but the soaring columns and ceiling are very impressive.

Next to Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, this was one of the prettiest cathedrals I went into out of the approximately 10 that I visited in Madrid and Barcelona. Located around the corner from the Royal Palace and the church was free to enter. There was an admission charge for the crypt. It was quite large with different nooks for altars.

The construction of the Almudena Cathedral began in 1883 and it took over a century to finish it - it was consecrated 1993. It is located opposite the Royal Palace. The interior is in Neo-Gothic style, and quite modern, statues, paintings and decorations by contemporary artists, in heterogeneous styles. The Sarcophagi of Saint Isidore the Laborer can be seen in a chapel (it's empty, though). Compared to other cathedral in Spain, this one is one of the less interesting (at least for me). Entrance is free, but a donation of at least 1 euro is suggested.