"Santa María la Real de La Almudena After paying your patriotic fee of 10 Euro to enter the Royal Palace, you will notice the Almudena Cathedral beyond the courtyards gates. While I was too late in the day to be graced with the inner divinities of this structure I did in fact, get into its reticent crypt. This Church intially desired by King Philip II in 1561, didn't not receive approval for building until 1868. Yes, obviously King Philip never saw his desires come to fruition but I am almost positive he would have been happy with the outcome. In 1883 construction for the church had finally began but one year later Madrid becomes a diocese thanks to Pope Leo XIII and a-not-so-simple church was transformed into a cathedral. Construction, still staggering in its progress, came to a halt in the 30's during Spain 's civil war. Then in 1944 they had to stop construction altogether as the cathedral's neo-gothic style clashed with its neighbor, the royal palace's soon to be neo-classical design. Only 383 years in the making at this point anyhow. Consecrated by John-Paul II in 1993 the cathedral was finally considered complete after its redesign. Its crypt however still displays unearthed Moorish and medieval city walls. By Wick Sakit"