The Royal palace in Madrid stands at the top of a green hill; from its windows and terraces an amazing view opens up onto the lower part of Madrid, where the Manzanares river flows through. IN the 9th century an Arab fort (alcazar) was built here, later to be rebuilt as a Habsburg castle. In 1734 the castle burned down and king Philip V started the construction of a Royal Palace in Italian Baroque style (the original project was designed by H.B. Saketti). The construction was finished only 30 years later, and Carlos III officially moved in to his new home. In 1931, after Alfonso XIII resignation from the throne, the royal family has left the palace; today it serves as a place to host important government receptions, there is a museum here, but the king lives outside the big city in a castle called Sarsuela.
The palace is enormous. It total area, including the basement and other underground storage space exceeds 100 thousands square meters. 50 rooms are open for visitors. The most interesting rooms are the throne room, featuring two gold plated thrones; the "porcelain" room, with walls and a ceiling decorated with porcelain; the luncheon gallery, with beautiful tapestries; the royal arms and ammunition room, featuring a large collection of medieval weaponry; as well as the pharmacy which has a collection of antique glassware and books of royal recipes.
Behind the Royal palace, on the slopes of the hill, by order of Queen Maria Cristina, Campo-del-Moro gardens were landscaped back in the 19th Century. The unusual name – "Field of the Moor", is connected with the fact the in the beginning of the 12th Century the base-camp of Amir Ali Ben Yusuf. The gardens are decorated with flower beds and fountains.
On the other side of the Palace, near the Eastern Main Gate, Plaza Oriente appeared in 1811. Following the order of Joseph Bonaparte, the area around the palace was cleared out. The residences, monasteries, and churches that approached the walls of the palace were destroyed and replaced with the statues of Spanish kings. The statues were originally intended for the roof of the palace but turned out too heavy. In the center stands the statue of Fillip IV.
Across from the palace you will find the Royal theater (1850), built during th rule of Isabelle II. In 1997 the theater was reopened after a long period of restoration, and is now property of the Madrid Opera. To the north of the theater, right on the Plaza de la Encarnacion, stands a open and working Augustine monastery called De La Encarnacion (arch. J. Gomez de la Mora), found by the wife of Fillip III – Margarita, in 1611. The façade of the monastery mimics the church of San Jose in Avilla, serving as a prototype for many churches. The temple preserves a collection of religious artwork, including paintings, sculptures, the cherished vessel with St. Pantaleon's coagulated blood; according to a legend, every year, on the 27th of July, on the day the saint died, the blood turns liquid, and if it doesn't happen in a given year, the awful horrors await the city of Madrid.
Back to the Spain attractions list
