Almudena Cathedral

Madrid waited centuries for a cathedral. Work began in 1883 and was only finished in 1993, when John Paul II consecrated it. That explains the mix of styles: the façade facing the Royal Palace is neoclassical so as not to clash with it, while the interior is neo-Gothic, with brightly painted ceilings and modern stained glass.

Beneath it lies a neo-Romanesque crypt with its own entrance on Cuesta de la Vega. The museum covers the history of the diocese and leads up to the dome, whose balcony looks over the Royal Palace, the Casa de Campo and much of the centre.