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architectural heritage LaAlmudenaCathedral (Madrid) In 1883, KingAlphonseXII laid the first stone of what would beMadrid’s cathedral, aproject that hadbeenongoing for quite some time, and the completionof whichwould be largely down to the support of theQueen. The temple became a cathedral a year later, and is dedicated toOur Lady of LaAlmudena, thepatron saint ofMadrid. The cathedral is right in the historic heart of the city and is home to the city´s archdiocese. Initially designedby the architect FranciscodeCubas, some of his contributions appear not to havebeen appropriate and for this reason the cathedral was remodelled after thedeath of the then-Pontifical Marquess deCubas in1899. In theory designed in a neo-Gothic style, the long list ofmodifications sufferedover the years incorporated elements that were bettermatched to the neoclassicismof theRoyal Palace, located very close to the cathedral. In fact, the churchwas a plannedpart of thepalace complex. TheMarquess deCubas designed a large cathedral in a floridFrench neo-Gothic style, with a Latin cross floor plan and side chapels that wouldbe linkedby a narrow ambulatory; the transept would alsohave three naveswhilst the apsewouldbe semicircular with ambulatory and five apsidal chapels. The iconof LaAlmudenawouldbeplaced at theHighAltar. The crypt that the cathedral would later bebuilt onwas finishedby EnriqueMaríaRepullés y Vargas but, from about LaCatedral vistadesde el PalacioReal TheCathedral as seen fromRoyal Palace ofMadrid. Foto/ Photo LamtomFerry Lic. CreativeCommons. 45