Royal Palace of Madrid

Royal Palace of Madrid - Madrid visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Royal Palace of Madrid' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Madrid.

The Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid), also known as the Palacio de Oriente (English: The East Palace), is the official residence of the King of Spain in Madrid.

Despite the name, King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in it, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish State and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency and used for state occasions. The wedding banquet of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz took place on 22 May 2004 at the central courtyard of the Palace.

Palacio Real de Madrid is located on Bailén Street, in the Western part of downtown Madrid, East of the Manzanares River. The palace is partially open to public, except when it is being used for official business.

Royal Palace of Madrid - History

In the 10th-century a fortress, called mayrit, was constructed on this site as an outpost by Mohammed I, Emir of Córdoba. After 1036 it was inherited by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. in 1085, Madrid fell to Alfonso VI of Castile but the fortress was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1561 Philip II moved his court to Madrid from , effectively establishing Madrid as the capital of Spain..

The Antiguo Alcázar (Old Castle) dates from the 16th century. It burned on December 24, 1734 and King Philip V ordered a new palace built on the same location, built between 1738-55. The new palace followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.

Royal Palace of Madrid - Present Day

The interior of the palace is richly decorated by artists like Velázquez, Tiepolo, Mengs, Gasparini, Juan de Flandes, Caravaggio, and Goya. Within it visitors will find:

• Several Royal Collections
• Royal Armoury - with weapons dating back to the 13th century.
• Only complete Stradivarius string quintet on earth.
Collections of tapestry, porcelain, furniture, and other objects of great historical importance.

Around the palace are the Campo del Moro gardens, so called as here Ali Ben Yusuf encamped with his men in the Moorish attempt to recapture Madrid and its Alcázar
in the year 1109. The east façade of the palace faces Plaza de Oriente and the Teatro Real opera house. To the south is Plaza de la Armas, and Catedral de la Almudena. To the north are the Jardines de Sabatini (Sabatini Gardens), named after one of the architects of the palace.

Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace)
C/Bailen Madrid -28013-
Phone: 91 547 53 50
Web: patrimonionacional.es

Metro: Opera (L2, L5)