Iglesias de Madrid

What secrets lie within Madrid’s oldest church, San Nicolás de los Servitas—whose 12th-century Mudéjar tower may once have been a minaret? Why wasn’t the Almudena Cathedral—now such a recognizable landmark in the capital’s skyline—consecrated until 1993? Every church in Madrid holds a world of its own. The remains of Goya rest in the Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida, beneath the very dome he painted himself. At San Sebastián, in the heart of the *Barrio de las Letras* (Literary Quarter), Tirso de Molina was baptized, Lope de Vega was married, and Cervantes’ funeral was held. And the Collegiate Church of San Isidro houses the remains of Madrid’s patron saint, alongside those of his wife, Saint María de la Cabeza. This book is far more than a guidebook; it is an invitation to explore Madrid’s churches as veritable treasure chests of history and art. With a blend of scholarly rigor and an engaging, personal touch, theologian Manuel Crespo Ortega reveals the richness of their Baroque altarpieces, hidden frescoes, and chapels housing miraculous images, as well as the popular devotions—such as the Virgin of La Paloma and Jesús el Pobre—that continue to shape neighborhood life. Organized by area to facilitate visits, these pages offer readers practical and inspiring information for discovering—on foot—both the city’s most iconic churches and its best-kept secrets. It offers a fresh perspective on the capital, where every stone and every altar tells a story.