A short but intense history is what characterizes the Almudena Cathedral. Usually, the churches and cathedrals I visit have many years, or better said, several centuries of existence. But this one would surprise you.
When we look at this cathedral, what do we see? Beauty and different architectural styles. It seems incredible but its construction was only finished 30 years ago, in 1993. In the same year, in June, it was consecrated by Pope John Paul II.
What happens is that I visited the museum of this cathedral also in June, this year, I saw photos of the consecration, the pope and much more, but one of the rules of the museum was not to take pictures. For that reason, I am not able to bring here to Hive those scenes that I have seen and the objects shown there, but it was allowed (with the entrance to the museum) to go up to the dome and out to the balconies of the cathedral.
This is how it happened that I took a walk above the roof of the church, see the angels from a height and greet the statues that surround the dome. There I can take you. Come on, we have to go up a few stairs and maybe talk with the statues. Listen to them or just observe in silence. The background music was given by the city and its busy life.
For a moment I thought that this statue was asking me: Why woman, why? You can't just walk through the streets of Madrid like all the other tourists? You had to climb here?
Yes, I had to. This was my day in Madrid. I marked a pace that just my feet had to follow. A view that my eyes enjoyed.
I made this visit by myself. I sent a photo to my family to show them - I climbed here. They know that I always want to enter a museum or climb the stairs in churches and look at the views of the cities where we are. But they're not very enthusiastic about my ideas so we usually skip these activities.
The interior of the dome was beautiful. I didn't regret at all being there, seeing first all the views toward the city and later enjoying the details of the interior of the dome. It looked like a sky with stars.
Going down by the star I was still seeing some photos on the walls and a few models of the cathedral. You remember I said in the beginning that it had an intense history... Indeed, Almudena Cathedral had a different original project, by architect Francisco de Cubas, in neogothic style. However, the church was finished in the neoclassical style (exterior) and in the neogothic style in its interior.
The interior of the cathedral is sublime.
I liked standing in the middle, I felt so small while looking at the presbytery and ceiling.
...and turning to the other side, toward the organ.
I think the other visitors had the same feeling as me. Some of them stayed calm and observed the stained glass windows, the columns, and the ceiling, or maybe they were praying.
I didn't hear the sound of the organ, nobody was there to play it but I read that it has four keyboards plus the pedals and that it is an exceptional instrument. In silence but happy with my visit, I had to leave the building. There was still a lot to see in Madrid.
