The annual celebration of Almudena Day in Madrid featured the distribution of over 5,000 portions of the traditional crown, a beloved artisanal sweet, in the Plaza Mayor. The event, which took place on 9 November, was attended by Marta Rivera de la Cruz, the delegate for Culture, Tourism and Sport, alongside Almudena Maíllo, the tourism councillor, and Carlos Segura, the councillor for the Centre district.
Organised for the fifth consecutive year by the City Council and the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Madrid (ACYRE Madrid), the initiative highlights the significance of this tradition. Rivera de la Cruz remarked on the importance of the event, stating, “It is one of the most cherished traditions of the day,” which brings together both locals and visitors around one of the most representative sweets of the celebration.
The grand crown, weighing approximately 300 kilograms and measuring 25 metres in diameter, is equivalent to nearly 100 metres in length if laid out straight. The crown was first created in 1978 by Madrid's pastry guild as a tribute to the city's patron saint. Since then, it has become a hallmark of the festivities held on 9 November.
Rivera de la Cruz emphasised that sharing this sweet is a way to honour their patroness while celebrating the local gastronomy and preserving customs that are integral to the city's identity.
