Everything about Royal Palace Of Madrid totally explained
The
Royal Palace of Madrid (also called, "Eastern Palace") is the
official residence of the
King of Spain, located in
Madrid. King
Juan Carlos and the royal family don't actually reside in this palace, instead choosing the smaller
Palacio de la Zarzuela, 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 agency. The palace also has the distinction of being the largest royal palace in
Western Europe 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 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 Kingdom of Toledo. After Madrid fell to
Alfonso VI of Castile in 1085, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King
Alfonso XI of Castile convoked the
cortes of Madrid for the first time.
Philip II 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 ordered a new palace built on the same location. Construction spanned the years
1738 to
1755 and followed a
Berniniesque design by
Filippo Juvarra and
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo in cooperation with
Ventura Rodríguez,
Francesco Sabatini, and
Scirmento. The new palace, directly facing the cathedral across the
Plaza de Armas, was occupied by
Carlos III in
1764.
Today
The vast palace 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 palace, including the Royal Armoury and weapons dating back to the 13th century, and the world's only complete
Stradivarius string quintet, as well as collections of
tapestry,
porcelain, 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 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's located the
Catedral de la Almudena. To the north are the
Jardines de Sabatini (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's 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.
Further Information
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