Catedrale de Santa Maria la Réal de la Almudena and Galeria de las Colecciones de Réales

Friday is our last day in Madrid on this visit, so after breakfast we walked to the Palacio Real, to visit the Catedrale de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena and its crypt.  Above ground and below, it is beautiful, with colorful frescos and ceilings.  The cathédrale is built on the site of a medieval mosque that was destroyed in 1083.  Construction began in 1883, was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, and the site lay abandoned until 1950.  The original plans were adapted to a baroque exterior to match the facade of the Palacio Real that stands opposite.  

We visited the crypt underneath the cathedral.  The chapel and side chapels are beautiful!

We walked around the cathedral to the Galeria de las Colecciones de Réales, full of royal objects dating back to the earliest years of the Spanish monarchy.  There were paintings by Goya and Greco, commissioned by the royal family, along with commissioned tapestries, carved carriages, a Mercedes limousine, china, and armor.  The royal family gave ownership of their properties and most contents to the State, and the Galeria museum was free to visit.  The collection was done in chronological order with stories of various members of the family, kings and queens, in Spanish and English.  It was interesting for us!