If you have found a vacation rental in Madrid, then a visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid is really an absolute must. The palace is one of the city's most famous, important and extraordinary landmarks and attractions and is an exquisite gem that really needs to be seen with one's own eyes. Still the official residence of the Spanish royal family, though not actually their home, it housed the Kings of Spain from Charles III to Alfonso XIII and was an important site for a large chunk of Spanish history. In addition, it is quite the looker and, all in all, shouldn't be missed if it is your first time in the city!
The site can be traced back to when the islamic ruler Emir Mohamed I chose it as the place to build a fortress to protect Toledo from the advancing Christians. Then this fortress was used by the Kings of Castille and eventually became the Antiguo Alcázar (Old Fortress) in the 14th century. Under Charles I and his son Philip II it was made a permanent residence for the Spanish royal family. In 1734, the Palace of Los Austrias was burned to the ground and a new palace was commissioned under Philip V according to designs by Filippo Juvara. When Juvara suddenly passed away, his pupil Juan Bautista Sachetti took over the project. Charles III was the first Spanish king to occupy the new building and the decorative details and schemes from frescoes to clocks to chandeliers to chairs were added by subsequent kings to create the magnificent building that exists today.
The site can be traced back to when the islamic ruler Emir Mohamed I chose it as the place to build a fortress to protect Toledo from the advancing Christians. Then this fortress was used by the Kings of Castille and eventually became the Antiguo Alcázar (Old Fortress) in the 14th century. Under Charles I and his son Philip II it was made a permanent residence for the Spanish royal family. In 1734, the Palace of Los Austrias was burned to the ground and a new palace was commissioned under Philip V according to designs by Filippo Juvara. When Juvara suddenly passed away, his pupil Juan Bautista Sachetti took over the project. Charles III was the first Spanish king to occupy the new building and the decorative details and schemes from frescoes to clocks to chandeliers to chairs were added by subsequent kings to create the magnificent building that exists today.
Comprised of almost 3,500 rooms – fifteen of which are open to the public – the building is on a staggering scale and features some stunning details including the Main Staircase by Sabatini, the painted ceiling of the Throne Hal by Tiepolo, the Royal Chemist, the Royal Chapel with its collection of string instruments made by the legendary Antonio Stradivari, the rich art collection of the Painting Gallery (including works by Luis Morales, Juan de Flandes, Caravaggio, Velázquez, Goya, Federico Madrazo, Sorolla and more).
Grand and utterly beautiful, this is one of the must-see buildings if you are spending time in this charming city in Spain.
Palacio Real de Madrid
Calle de Bailén
28071 Madrid, España.
+34 91 454 8700
Opening hours:
January - March Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
April - September Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 20:00
October - December Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
Ticket Prices:
Without guide: €10.00
With guide: €14.00
Children under 5: free
Cheap rate for pre-arranged school groups, old age pensioners, students and the handicapped: €5.00
Entry with the Madrid Card: Free
NOTE: The Changing of the Guard still takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays and is an interesting display of pomp and ceremony of times gone by.
TIP: Flash photography is not allowed inside the building, so make sure to set your phone or camera to take photographs without the flash going off. Also keep in mind that the queue for the palace is often long and going early in the day is the best way to beat long waits most of the time!
Grand and utterly beautiful, this is one of the must-see buildings if you are spending time in this charming city in Spain.
Palacio Real de Madrid
Calle de Bailén
28071 Madrid, España.
+34 91 454 8700
Opening hours:
January - March Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
April - September Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 20:00
October - December Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
Ticket Prices:
Without guide: €10.00
With guide: €14.00
Children under 5: free
Cheap rate for pre-arranged school groups, old age pensioners, students and the handicapped: €5.00
Entry with the Madrid Card: Free
NOTE: The Changing of the Guard still takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays and is an interesting display of pomp and ceremony of times gone by.
TIP: Flash photography is not allowed inside the building, so make sure to set your phone or camera to take photographs without the flash going off. Also keep in mind that the queue for the palace is often long and going early in the day is the best way to beat long waits most of the time!
Photo credit: Rodrig. RM / CC BY-SA 4.0
