Royal Palace of Madrid

Historia

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family at the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Felipe VI and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, 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. The palace is located on Calle de Bailén in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro station. Several rooms in the palace are regularly open to the public except during state functions. An admission fee of €11 is required. Some days it is free.The palace is located on the site of a 9th-century Alcázar, near the town of Magerit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile convened the cortes of Madrid for the first time. Philip II moved his court to Madrid in 1561.

"El Palacio Real de Madrid es el más grande de Europa Occidental y uno de los más grandes del mundo. Sus más de 135.000 metros cuadrados y 3.418 habitaciones han sido testigos de siglos de la historia de España. Es una de las pocas residencias oficiales de Jefes de Estado que está abierta al público. Por esta razón es recomendable planificar la visita con antelación y consultar los horarios en la web de Patrimonio Nacional."