church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe stands in Madrid's Chamartín district, in the Hispanoamérica neighborhood, on Calle Puerto Rico facing the Parque de Berlín. It is one of the most unusual Catholic churches in the Spanish capital, popularly known among locals as the "church of the Mexicans" because of the Mexican background of one of its architects.

How do you get there?

The church sits in northern Madrid, in a quiet, mostly residential area near the border with the Chamberí district. The easiest way to reach it is by metro — the nearest stations serving this part of the city are within a short walk, and the building itself borders directly on the greenery of Parque de Berlín, making the area pleasant for a stroll before or after a visit. This is a part of Madrid away from the main tourist core, so it's worth planning the trip using public transport rather than walking from Puerta del Sol or Gran Vía.

What makes this church unusual?

Construction was commissioned by the religious congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, with work carried out through most of the 1960s — the first stone was laid in 1961. The parish itself was formally established by a decree dated 27 August 1965, created by splitting off territory from two existing Madrid parishes, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and Sagrado Corazón de Jesús.

The architectural design came from Enrique de la Mora y Palomar and José Ramón Azpiazu, while the structural engineering was handled by José Antonio Torroja and Félix Candela — names well known in the history of modern reinforced-concrete construction. The Madrid building was the first work by a Mexican architect ever built on Spanish soil, which on its own gives the church a symbolic role as a bridge between the two cultures.

What is there to see inside?

The building is laid out on an octagonal plan inscribed within a circle almost 54 metres across — a floor plan rarely used in religious architecture of that era. The most striking element, though, is the roof: a thin hyperbolic paraboloid shell, a structural form closely associated with the engineering techniques developed by Félix Candela. This shape allows the huge roof surface to rest on just four interior pillars, producing an interior almost free of conventional supports and an unusually open, airy main hall. It's an effect best experienced in person, since photographs rarely convey the scale and apparent lightness of the structure.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the church known as the "church of the Mexicans"? Because of the Mexican origin of one of its architects, Enrique de la Mora y Palomar — his work here was the first building by a Mexican architect ever completed in Spain.

Who designed the church? The architectural design was by Enrique de la Mora y Palomar and José Ramón Azpiazu, while the structural engineering was carried out by José Antonio Torroja and Félix Candela.

What is the most distinctive architectural feature of the church? Its roof, a thin hyperbolic paraboloid shell supported by only four interior pillars, combined with an octagonal floor plan inscribed in a circle almost 54 metres in diameter.

When was the parish founded and by whom? Construction began in 1961 at the initiative of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, and the parish was formally established by a decree on 27 August 1965, split off from two pre-existing Madrid parishes.