Palacio Real de Madrid
From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.
The Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid) is the official residence of the King of Spain, located in the Spanish capital of Madrid.
The current king, Juan Carlos, and his family do not reside in the palace, instead choosing a smaller palace, the Palacio de la Zarzuela, on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Palacio Real de Madrid remains the official residence of the Spanish monarchy and is used for state business on occasion.
The palace's location dates back to a 9th-century fortress constructed by the Moorish Kingdom of Toledo. After Madrid fell to Castile, the edifice was used by the kings of Castile.
The Antiguo Alcázar ("Old Castle") was built on the location in the 16th century. It burned on December 24, 1734; King Philip V ordered a new palace built on the same location. Construction spanned from 1738 to 1755, according to the designs of Juan Bautista Sachetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez, Sabatini, and Scirmento. The new palace was occupied by Carlos III in 1764.
The palace is the largest in all of Western Europe, occupying an area of 135,000 m². It is richly decorated by artists such as Velázquez, Tiepolo, Mengs, Gasparini, Juan de Flandes, Caravaggio, and Goya. Several royal collections of great historical importance are kept at the castle, including the Royal Armoury and its weapons dating back to the 13th century, and the world's largest collection of Stradivarius instruments, as well as collections of tapestry, porcelain, furniture, and other objets d'art of great historical importance.
Below the palace is a garden called the Campo del Moro; to the east is the Plaza de Oriente. To the south is a vast square, the Plaza de la Armería, surrounded by narrow wings of the palace, and to the south of that is located the Catedral de la Almudena.
The palace is located on the calle de Bailén in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from Ópera metro station.
External link
| Spanish royal sites | |
| Palaces: Palacio Real de Madrid | Zarzuela | El Escorial | El Pardo | Aranjuez | La Granja | Riofrío | Alcázares de Sevilla | La Almudaina | |
| Royal monasteries: Descalzas Reales | La Encarnación | Sta. Clara de Tordesillas | Las Huelgas | Valle de los Caídos | |
| Sanctuaries under royal patronage: Panteón de Hombres Ilustres | San Pascual | Sta. Isabel | Colegio de Doncellas Nobles | |
