Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, Madrid, Spain

The Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande is a Roman Catholic church in central Madrid. The main façade faces the Plaza of San Francisco, at the intersection of Bailén, the Gran Vía de san Francisco, and the Carrera de san Francisco. It forms part of the convent of Jesús y María of the Franciscan order. The convent was founded in the 13th century at the site of a chapel.

The basilica was designed in a Neoclassic style between 1761 and 1768, based on a design by Francisco Cabezas, developed by Antonio Pló, and completed by Francesco Sabatini. The church contains paintings by Zurbarán and Francisco Goya. The temple once functioned as the National pantheon and enshrined the remains of famous artists and politicians.

The dome is 33 metres in diameter and 58 metres in height; its shape is very similar to the Pantheon's dome, having a more circular shape than the typical domes built in the 18th century.

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User Reviews

Fiona Flood (14 months ago)
Breath taking, absolutely beautiful, I have been several times and am still in awe every time, beautiful interior.

Elaine Slooten (17 months ago)
Beautiful church with painted ceilings, alcoves statues of saints, Christian themed paintings and beautiful organ music playing. Highly recommended as a quick free outing if you are in Madrid

Milton Shakespear (17 months ago)
Simple dome structure with a wide circular temple. It has the twelve apostles spread across the room in a circle. Beatiful shrines along the sides. The dome is just exquisite. The third largest dome of the Catholic Church. Breathtaking. Totally worth the visit! Fantastic craftsmanship and detail in the gorgeous painted ceiling.

M Preciado (18 months ago)
We went on a Thursday evening it turns out that it was a free admission night. One of the largest domes in the world, the Basilica is imposing, beautiful, something in every corner to see. No matter how many cathedrals you have visited you will be impressed by this one.

Mya Zemlock (18 months ago)
Gorgeous, breathtaking basilica to rival those in Rome. You can tell how much care has been put into the upkeep of the church. Entry was only 5€ , but that didn't include a guided tour. Well worth it.

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