One of Madrid, Spain’s most beautiful art galleries is a cemetery. Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery (aka Cementerio de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena).
This post contains recommended links to products and services. While you will not accrue any additional costs to support my blog, I may receive compensation if you purchase these products and services. All images are taken by kmf and available for digital download. Sources: My personal experience at Our Lady of Almudena as well as the Madrid Convention Bureau.
Tour Madrid’s largest cemetery and outdoor art gallery: Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery
Cemeteries fascinate me rather than scare me. Granted, I only visit them during the day. But I find cemeteries, like Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery, beautiful, peaceful and calming. And love taking the time to appreciate the artistry and sculptures and paying my respect for those who’ve gone before us. I often wonder if anyone visits their final resting places. So I feel like I’m acknowledging those who were once, and possibly still, loved.
In fact, my entire family finds cemeteries fascinatingly beautiful. Visiting a cemetery is a common thing to do on the Foshier family vacation itinerary.
You can find several of our favorite and most beautiful cemeteries in the world in a separate post. In this post, I’ll showcase some of the most intriguing and hauntingly beautiful images from my visit to the Cementerio de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena – Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery. This beautiful cemetery is located in Madrid, Spain.
Frequently asked questions about Our Lady of Almudena in Madrid, Spain
Here are a few frequently asked questions about Madrid’s largest cemetery: Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery
Where is Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery located? What’s the address for Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery?
You can find the beautiful Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is located in the Ciudad Lineal District of Madrid. The address of Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is Avenida de Daroca, 90, 28017
Is Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery located at the La Almudena Cathedral in Madrid?
No. Do not confuse Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery and its chapel with La Almudena Cathedral. That beautiful church and museum is located about seven miles away near the Royal Palace of Madrid.
When is Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery open? What are the visiting hours for Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery?
Spring / summer hours: Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is open to the public every day from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. March through September/October.
Fall / winter hours: Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is open to the public every day from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. September/October to March.
How big is Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid? How many people are buried at Madrid’s largest cemetery?
Wear comfortable walking shoes as Madrid’s largest cemetery (and one of the largest in western Europe) covers 120 acres on uneven terrain. The beautiful Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 5 million people.
When was Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery established? How old is Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid?
According to Madrid’s official tourism website, Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery was created in 1884 and officially opened in 1925.
What kind of architecture will you find at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid?
Architecture at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is very diverse. Styles include neo-gothic, neo-romantic, modernist, neo-classic and eclectic. I was mesmerized by the thought-provoking headstones, statues and monuments. Many of these beautiful sculptures, the chapel, and pantheons date back to the late 19th century.
What are the the main areas to tour at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery?
The beautiful Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery features three burial areas.
- Civil Graveyard
- Hebrew Graveyard
- Graveyard of Our Lady of the Almudena (Garden of Remembrance is located here)
Are there any notable people or famous celebrities buried at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery? Who is buried at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid, Spain?
According to the Madrid Convention Bureau, a number of notable personalities were laid to rest at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery. They include:
- Vincente Aleixandre, a writer who received the Nobel Prize for Literature
- Damaso Alonso, writer
- Pio Baroja, writer
- Benito Perez Galdos, writer
- Niceto Alcala-Zamora, President of the Second Spanish Republic
- Jose Maria Gil-Robles, Minister of the Second Spanish Republic
- Alejandro Lerroux, Minister of the Second Spanish Republic
- Enrique Tierno Galvan, Mayor of Madrid
- Lola Flores, artist
- Estrellita Castro, artist
- Olga Ramos, artist
- Fernando Rey, artist
- Lina Morgan, artist
Does it cost anything to visit Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery? What’s the admission fee for the Cementerio de Muestra Senora de la Almudena? Is Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery free to visit?
One of the best free things to do in Madrid, Spain is to tour Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery. There is no cost or admission fee to the Cementerio de Nuestra Senora de La Almudena.
Are guided tours available at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery?
Yes. Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery offers guided tours during the months of October and November.. However, you are free to wander on your own. Pick up a free brochure in the office near the northern gate. Note: The brochures are only available in Spanish.
Does Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery have public restrooms?
Yes. Public restrooms are available at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery. They are located at the small office near the northern gate.
Are flowers available to purchase at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid?
Yes. You may purchase flowers at a small flower shop near the northern gate of Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery.
Take a virtual tour of Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid, Spain
Unfortunately, I don’t have the history of every image I captured at Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery. I need a Spanish refresher to translate the brochure. However, you don’t need to know everything to appreciate the beautiful Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery.
I hope you enjoy this virtual walk through Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery – Cementerio de Neustra Senora. It’s one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. And Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is a hidden gem in Madrid, Spain.
What or who is Our Lady of Almudena? How did Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery get its name.
The Virgin of Almudena is the patron saint of Madrid.
I find this monument above especially intriguing because of the children at her feet looking up at her. The inscription on this monument translates to“Faith holds together those who death separates,” which I find very comforting.
“Faith holds together those
who death separates.”
Pin it for later: Guide to Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid, Spain
If you liked this post, please consider sharing it on your own social platforms. If you love sculptures and finding other hidden gems, please check out my contributor post with Planning Away on the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France (includes other fabulous things to do in the City of Light).
Related posts
If you want to see more beautiful cemeteries, check out my In pursuit of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world post.
And if you’re looking for a day trip from Madrid, I absolutely loved my day hike to Dragonstone – a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Or if you are more about the pictures, check out my photo gallery of this Game of Thrones filming location.
I absolutely adore cemeteries and all the history they hold. Thanks so much for sharing:)
Definitely my pleasure…I love the history and beauty of cemeteries.
Wow, that was beautiful art. Thank you for the tip on when they have the tours. I enjoy tours to learn more about history.
I would love to take a guided tour of this place to learn more about its history.
Wooow! This is absolutely stunning ! Thanks for sharing! I will definitely plan to go there when in Madrid!
Thank you…so happy you and others could appreciate them.
Beautiful photos! Cemeteries are so interesting….there are so many stories that reside there that we will just never know! I’m with you, daytime only! 🙂
Thank you. I think the same way…so many stories…these statues are beautiful symbols of love.
There are some very ornate graves and statues in this cemetery! I don’t think I have ever seen so many statues on graves. Lovely!
Thank you. I’m curious if they have a database or some other record on the types of headstones, statues and markers. Something for me to look into.
The photos are absolutely amazing and I now have a new place to add to my bucket list!
Thank you so much. I hope you get the opportunity.
You’ve captured some amazing photographs for this post. I love it when the statues are a little weathered. It makes them a little more human rather than stone.
I agree. One of the most intriguing statues I’ve seen is The Angel of Death Victorious (aka The Haserot Angel) at the Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s very weathered and appears as if she is weeping. I’ll share it in an upcoming post of my favorite cemeteries to visit.
You brought this to life with your photos!
Wow! Just WOW! What a cool place to explore! I also love exploring cemeteries. I actually got to tour some in Charleston, SC for one of my classes when I was in college there. I would love to see this one in person.
Thank you so much. I’m sure the one in Charleston is pretty amazing also…so much history.
Beautiful shots and statues. Especially one of the angels. You’ve gotta go at night. We love day and night visits. It’s not really scary if you go with others. By yourself is imagine is be creepy at night
Thank you. So many beautiful interpretations of angels in this cemetery.
That looks really neat to walk thru, and creepy at the same time. I am not a fan of being in a cemetery day or night. LOL!!
This place definitely had a good vibe to it…didn’t feel creepy at all and I was by myself and only saw a handful of people while strolling through that afternoon.
Beautiful photos! I also love cemeteries – Pere Lachaise in Paris is one of my favorites. I’ll have to check this one out on a future trip.
Someone on Twitter commented on my tweet about Pere Lachaise also so will definitely want to visit when I make it to Paris the next time.
I cannot get over how LARGE this cemetery is! I’ve always wanted to visit Madrid and this will be on my list when we do! Thanks for sharing such wonderful photos as well!
My pleasure and hope you get the opportunity to visit. Even now looking back it’s still difficult to wrap my head around how massive the place is.
We love them too and find them fascinating. We have stopped at so many historical ones in New England, but Our Lady of Almudena cemetery in Madrid is beautiful! I pinned it so when I visit, I will remember to go here. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure. One of my favorites in New England is Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont. A friend of ours is in the monument business and we learned so much about the craft from him and visiting Hope Cemetery with him. That’s when I first gained an appreciation behind the artistry that goes behind each one.
I enjoy old world cemeteries too. I feel they all have so much history and interesting stories to tell. The sculptures & gardens are gorgeous here. When we go to Spain, we’ll stop by for sure!
I agree…there’s definitely a story and history behind each sculpture and state.
Creepy and beautiful all at once. Loved the pictures!
Thank you…I think of them as beautifully haunting.
Wow! Those statues are beautiful! It does look more like an art museum rather than a cemetery. Beautiful!
Thank you…and so happy to share the beauty!
Aren’t old cemeteries the most interesting places?! This is so beautiful, and would love to visit.
I find them so fascinating…hope you get the opportunity!
wow what a beautiful cemetery. I always try to visit the ancient cemeteries during my travels but I think missed this one when I went to Madrid.
Thank you! Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery is so beautiful…hope you get the opportunity to visit.
Great post! I totally agree, I have always found cemetaries calming and beautiful. I do quite like seeing how different cultures treat their elders with beautiful places to rest!
Having said all that, did you ever see the doctor Who episodes with the stone angels? If you watch that, you might view those pretty angel statues differently! 😀
Ohhhhh…I have not see those Doctor Who episodes. I’m definitely intrigued now! And a little scared!
Wow! I’ve never heard of it. But It’s worth the visit. The art and the statues are beautiful. I will visit whenever I travel to Spain again. Wonderful blog post.
Thank you so much! Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery in Madrid, Spain is so beautiful and worth a visit.
I haven’t been to Madrid just yet but adding this to my list.
I loved Madrid and visiting Our Lady of Almudena Cemetery was one of my highlights.