During the early part of our travels, we received some pretty sage advice: "If you come across an open church, no matter what denomination it is, go in. You'll probably be amazed at what you find!" That has proven quite accurate over the past twenty months, whether it be churches, synagogues, mosques, or temples. We've seen some absolutely gorgeous art and sculptures within these structures. Madrid has proven no different, albeit many churches that looked interesting on the outside, we were unable to explore because they were closed (...and that is frustrating, because churches belong to the people and should never be closed). Anyway, we would like to share some of the beauty we have been able to experience -just a taste.
The main altar of the Church of San Jose Santa Maria La Real de la Almundena Cathedral, next to the Royal Palace. ...and its side altar dedicated to San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid. As in most of the churches we visited, the stained glass windows were magnificent! The Almundena cathedral's crypt was even more spectacular. Primate Cathedral of St. Mary, Toledo, Spain. We can't imagine how long it took the artisans to create this masterpiece. Everywhere you turned, the next piece was more spectacular than the previous one. The workmanship was unbelievable! The main altar of the San Francisco El Grande Basilica in Madrid, was itself a work of art... ...as were the wood carvings of the choir... ...and the frescoed ceilings... ...as well as the doors. The old Synagogue Sacta Maria la Blanco (now a museum) in Toledo impressed us with its stylistic simplicity. The gardens at the Monastery of El Escorial were wonderfully designed. perhaps one of the most beautiful altar pieces was this immense art work at the Monastery of El Escorial.
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Carl and Lorraine Aveni are two retirees planning on traveling through Europe for at least one year.
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