The Crypt of the Almudena Cathedral

In the photo below these lines, it’s a view from South to North, where we have the Almudena Cathedral, and the Crypt. Below this, is what remains of the old Muslim Wall.

Fachada Sur de La Almudena, con entrada a La Cripta y Muralla Árabe.

Just below the Almudena Cathedral, with the three neo protogothic semicircular doors on the picture, is the crypt. Its construction begun on April 4, 1883, and once inside, the style is of neo-Romanesque and Byzantine influence.

Nave lateral de la Cripta de la Almudena

The works of the crypt, took about 28 years, as it opened for worship in 1911.

Inside the crypt, it is all stone construction, and most strikingly are the 558 columns, especially the 50 monolithic columns (one-piece) of the central part, facing the altar.

These columns stand out for their size of 3.28 meters high, and because of the quality of the stone used. All these columns have different sizes, and capital forms.

Nave Central con altar al fondo. — Nave Central de la cripta, con altar al fondo.

The first time I walked into this chapel, I was surprised to see the graves on the ground. I had never set foot consciously on a grave before, and still today while making this photos, I tried to avoid stepping on them.

Tumbas en el suelo de las naves laterales

Al fondo, en la parte Norte de esta capilla funeraria, se encuentra este mural que fue encargado por d. Joaquín de Soto Hidalgo y ejecutado en 1977 bajo la dirección de Cesáreo Cambronero López.

Mural en la parte Norte de la Cripta — Fresco de la Cripta de la Catedral de la Almudena

In the back side of this funeral chapel, on the northern part, there is this mural that was commissioned by d. Joaquin de Soto Hidalgo, and performed in 1977, under the direction of Cesáreo Cambronero López.

At this temple is another important mural dated back in the thirteenth century, La Virgen de la Flor de Lis, discovered in 1623, which is one of the jewels of this crypt.

Below is a detail of one of the chapels of the crypt.