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Royal Palace of Madrid

 
Royal Palace of Madrid

 
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Royal Palace of Madrid
 
 
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The Royal Palace
Palace

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop....
 of Madrid is the official residence
Official residence

An official residence is the House at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside. They may or may not be the same location where they conduct their work-related functions....
 of the King of Spain, located in Madrid
Madrid

Madrid is the Capital and largest city of Spain. It is the Largest cities of the European Union by population within city limits in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its Madrid metropolitan area is the Largest urban areas of the European Union in the European Union after Paris aire urbaine, Greater London Urban Area, a...
. King Juan Carlos and the royal family do not reside in this palace, instead choosing the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela
Palacio de la Zarzuela

The Palace of Zarzuela is the official residence of Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia of Spain and their family. The palace is on the outskirts of Madrid, in the Royal Palace of El Pardo complex near to the Official Residence of the Felipe, Prince of Asturias and Letizia, Princess of Asturias....
, on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Palacio Real de Madrid is still used for state occasions. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional
Patrimonio Nacional

Patrimonio Nacional is a Spain state agency, under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister of Spain, that administers the sites owned by the Spanish state and used by the King of Spain and the Spanish Royal Family as residences and for state ceremonies....
 agency. The palace also has the distinction of being the largest royal palace in Western Europe
Western Europe

Western Europe refers to the countries in the western most half of Europe. This concept has had different meanings, political and cultural as well as geographical issues have influenced the area....
 in size, with over a combined area of over 135,000 m² and more than 2,800 rooms.

The palace is located on Bailén street, in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro
Madrid Metro

The Madrid Metro is the large rapid transit system serving the city of Madrid.It is one of the largest metro systems in the world, which is especially remarkable considering Madrid's population of approximately 3.5 million to 6 million ....
 station.






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The Royal Palace
Palace

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop....
 of Madrid is the official residence
Official residence

An official residence is the House at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside. They may or may not be the same location where they conduct their work-related functions....
 of the King of Spain, located in Madrid
Madrid

Madrid is the Capital and largest city of Spain. It is the Largest cities of the European Union by population within city limits in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its Madrid metropolitan area is the Largest urban areas of the European Union in the European Union after Paris aire urbaine, Greater London Urban Area, a...
. King Juan Carlos and the royal family do not reside in this palace, instead choosing the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela
Palacio de la Zarzuela

The Palace of Zarzuela is the official residence of Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia of Spain and their family. The palace is on the outskirts of Madrid, in the Royal Palace of El Pardo complex near to the Official Residence of the Felipe, Prince of Asturias and Letizia, Princess of Asturias....
, on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Palacio Real de Madrid is still used for state occasions. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional
Patrimonio Nacional

Patrimonio Nacional is a Spain state agency, under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister of Spain, that administers the sites owned by the Spanish state and used by the King of Spain and the Spanish Royal Family as residences and for state ceremonies....
 agency. The palace also has the distinction of being the largest royal palace in Western Europe
Western Europe

Western Europe refers to the countries in the western most half of Europe. This concept has had different meanings, political and cultural as well as geographical issues have influenced the area....
 in size, with over a combined area of over 135,000 m² and more than 2,800 rooms.

The palace is located on Bailén street, in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro
Madrid Metro

The Madrid Metro is the large rapid transit system serving the city of Madrid.It is one of the largest metro systems in the world, which is especially remarkable considering Madrid's population of approximately 3.5 million to 6 million ....
 station. The palace is partially open to public, except when in official use.

History

The site of the palace dates from a 10th-century fortress, called mayrit, constructed as an outpost by Mohammed I, Emir of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish
Moors

In the Spanish language, the term for Moors is Moro; in Portuguese language the word is mouro. There seems to have been some confusion about the relationship of the word moro/mouro to the word moreno , both from Greek language ma?ros, i.e....
 Kingdom of Toledo
Kingdom of Toledo

The Kingdom of Toledo, Spain was the second, more established and final centre of Visigothic rule in Hispania. It was created as a part of the events involved by the migration period and the fall of the Roman Empire....
. After Madrid fell to Alfonso VI of Castile
Alfonso VI of Castile

Alfonso VI , nicknamed the Brave or the Valiant, was King of Le?n from 1065 to 1109 and King of Castile from 1072 following the death of his brother Sancho II of Castile....
 in 1085, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI of Castile

Alfonso XI of Castile was the king of Crown of Castile and Kingdom of Le?n, the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal ....
 convoked the cortes of Madrid for the first time. Philip II
Philip II of Spain

Philip II was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598, List of monarchs of Naples from 1554 until 1598, king consort of England, as husband of Mary I of England, from 1554 to 1558, lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories, such as Duke or Count; and King of Portugal as Philip I...
 moved his court to Madrid in 1561.

The ("Old Castle") was built on the location in the 16th century. It burned on December 24, 1734; King Philip V
Philip V of Spain

Philip V of Spain , born Philippe de France, fils de France and Counts and Dukes of Anjou, was king of Spain from 1700 to 1724 and 1724 to 1746, the first of the House of Bourbon dynasty in Spain....
 ordered a new palace built on the same location. Construction spanned the years 1738 to 1755 and followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra
Filippo Juvarra

Filippo Juvarra, was an Italy architect and scene designer with a cosmopolitan outlook....
 and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, also known as Gianbattista or Giambattista Tiepolo was a Venice Painting and printmaker. He was prolific and worked not only in the Veneto, but also in Germany and Spain, and is considered among the last "Grand manner" fresco painters from the Venice....
 in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez
Ventura Rodríguez

Ventura Rodr?guez Tiz?n was a Spain architect and artist. Born at Ciempozuelos, Rodr?guez was the son of a bricklayer. In 1727, he collaborated with his father in the work at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez....
, Francesco Sabatini
Francesco Sabatini

Francesco Sabatini , also known as Francisco Sabatini was an Italian architect of the 18th century who worked in Spain.Born in Palermo, he studied architecture in Rome....
, and Scirmento. The new palace, directly facing the cathedral across the Plaza de Armas, was occupied by Carlos III in 1764.

Interior

The interior that is open to visitors consists of:

  • the main staircase
  • Halberdiers Room
  • Hall of Columns
  • Throne Room
  • Saleta and antechamber of Charles III
  • Chamber and bedroom of Charles III
  • Gala Dining Room
  • Music Room
  • China collection
  • Royal Chapel


Today

Palacio Real De Madrid Sala De Tronos
Armeriapalaciorealmadrid
The vast palace is richly decorated by artists such as Velázquez
Diego Velázquez

Diego Rodr?guez de Silva y Vel?zquez was a Spain painting who was the leading artist in the Noble court of King Philip IV of Spain. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary baroque period, important as a portrait painting....
, Tiepolo, Mengs
Anton Raphael Mengs

Anton Raphael Mengs was an German painter, active in Rome, Madrid, and Saxony, who became one of the precursors to Neoclassicism painting....
, Gasparini
Gasparini

Gasparini can mean:* Francesco Gasparini* Matteo Gasparini, Italian 18th century decorator* An Italy chef named Gasparini supposedly invented meringue...
, Juan de Flandes
Juan de Flandes

Juan de Flandes was an Early Netherlandish painter who was active in Spain from 1496 to 1519. Born around 1460 in Flanders , and evidently trained there, Juan de Flandes became an artist at the court of Isabella I of Castile in Spain painting accomplished portraits of her and members of her family in the Renaissance mode....
, Caravaggio
Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, was an Italian people artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between 1593 and 1610, considered the first great representative of the Baroque school of painting....
, and Goya. Several royal collections of great historical importance are kept at the palace, including the Royal Armoury and weapons dating back to the 13th century, and the world's only complete Stradivarius
Stradivarius

A Stradivarius is a stringed instrument built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial....
 string quintet, as well as collections of tapestry
Tapestry

Tapestry is a form of textile art. It is Weaving by hand on a vertical loom. It is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike cloth weaving where both the warp and the weft threads may be visible....
, porcelain
Porcelain

Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and ....
, furniture, and other objets d'art of great historical importance.

Below the palace, to the west, are the gardens of the Campo del Moro that were given this name due to the fact that here in the year 1109, Muslim leader Ali Ben Yusuf, encamped with his men in the attempt to recapture Madrid and its Alcázar (fortress) from the Christians. The east façade of the palace gives onto the Plaza de Oriente and the Teatro Real
Teatro Real

The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain....
 operahouse. To the south is a vast square, the Plaza de la Armas, surrounded by narrow wings of the palace, and to the south of that is located the Catedral de la Almudena
Catedral de la Almudena

Santa Mar?a la Real de La Almudena is a Roman Catholic Church cathedral in Madrid.Plans for the construction of a new cathedral for Madrid dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena began in the 16th century, but the slow construction did not begin until 1879....
. To the north are the Jardines de Sabatini
Sabatini Gardens

The Sabatini Gardens are part of the Royal Palace of Madrid in Madrid, Spain, and were opened to the public by King Juan Carlos I of Spain in 1978....
 (Sabatini Gardens), named after one of the architects of the palace.

The wedding banquet of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz took place on 22 May 2004 at the central courtyard of the Palace.

The palace is open to the public and it is closed when used by the king for state functions like state banquets for visiting heads of state, official government receptions and the presentation of new ambassadors to the king.

See also

  • Palacio del Buen Retiro, another royal palace in Madrid, now mostly disappeared.


External links

  • (in English)
  • Description and pictures