The Virgin

The name of this cathedral, Almudena, comes from the Arabic, meaning citywall. The story is that King Alfonso, back in 1085 saw an image of the Virgin Mary in the city wall and that image became the Patroness of Madrid. What's the Arabic for toast? So, anyway, jump forward 800 years and the King finally gets round to building a cathedral in her honour. Sadly it took another 100 years (and no doubt 40 years of fascist disinterest) before it was consecrated in 1993 by the Pope. Hence the rather contemporary imagery within. 

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