The Santa Iglesia Catedral Metropolitana de Santa María la Real de la Almudena, known simply as the Almudena Cathedral, is a cathedral of Catholic worship, dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the invocation of the Almudena, and the episcopal seat of Madrid.

Built on the site of an old mosque, Almudena Cathedral takes its name from the Arabic word al-mudayna, which means "citadel".

The cathedral is located in the historic center of the city of Madrid; The main façade is in front of the Royal Palace, while the façade of the transept faces Calle de Bailén and access to the crypt is via the Crest de la Vega, at the end of Calle Mayor.

Unlike most Christian temples, with an east-west orientation, the cathedral has a north-south orientation, the result of its conception as an integral part of the Royal Palace complex.

The cathedral is the main temple of the Archdiocese of Madrid, seat of the archbishop and the metropolitan chapter.

It is a building 102 meters long and 73 meters high, built from the end of the 19th century to the end of the 20th, in different architectural styles: Neoclassical on the outside, Neo-Gothic on the inside and Neo-Romanesque in the crypt.

It was consecrated on June 15, 1993 by Pope John Paul II, during his fourth trip to Spain.

According to legend, when in 1083 King Alfonso VI of León conquered Madrid and expelled the Muslims, he became obsessed with finding a valuable icon of the Virgin Mary that centuries ago had been hidden within the walls of the citadel for safekeeping. . Unable to locate the lost figure, Alfonso VI gave himself up to prayer until a section of the walls collapsed and revealed the image, still illuminated by the candles with which she had been buried centuries ago. The place of the miraculous and legendary event is marked, outside the cathedral, by a niche with a statue of the Virgin.

The origins of the Almudena cathedral can be found in the small church of Santa María de la Almudena, of late medieval origin, which was located a few meters from the current cathedral, which, according to recent excavations, stands on the site that occupied the Jewish quarter of Madrid.

The Almudena Cathedral is usually the scene of some state ceremonies. It has been the setting, among many others, of the state funerals of former presidents Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo in 2008 and Adolfo Suárez in 2014.