With 870 windows, 240 balconies, 44 sets of stairs and 110 doors, the Royal Palace is one of the greatest in the whole of Europe! The building occupies a square area of 135,000 meters.
The royal family of Spain used the palace until the abdication of Alfonso XIII in 1931. Today the present king, Juan Carlos I, resides in the more modest Zarzuela Palace outside of Madrid, but state occasions are still held at the Royal Palace.
The Palace itself is divided into various important sections. The Dining Room consists of a long gallery which was opened in 1879. It has a long table, numerous ceiling paintings and various superb tapestries.
The walls and ceiling of the Porcelain Room are entirely covered in royal porcelain from the Buen Retiro factory. This room was built on the orders of Carlos III. The green and white colour of the porcelain depicts wreaths and cherubs.
The square in front of the main entrance is known as Plaza de la Armeria, named after the palace’s Royal Armoury. Here you will find a vast array of weaponry, amongst which are suits of armour belonging to Charles V and Felipe II.
In the Entrance Hall a marble staircase by Sabatini greets the visitor. Next to this staircase stands a stature of Carlos III as a Roman Emperor. At the top of the stairs one reaches the main floor and a breathtaking rococo ceiling painted by Giaquinto.
The Pharmacy Museum in the Royal Palace has recipe books detailing medications prescribed for the royal family. In this part of the Palace you will find decorated Talavera pottery jars and herb drawers.
The Gasparini Room, named after its Neopolitan designer, is decorated with lavish rococo chinoiserie. Goya’s portrait of Carlos IV can be found in the adjacent antechamber.
The Hall of Columns is decorated with 16th century bronzes and Roman imperial busts. This section was once used for royal banquets.
The Throne Room is probably the highlight of the Palacio Real. Here one finds two majestic gold and scarlet thrones which are exact reproductions of those of Charles V. The room contains enormous mirrors which were made in the royal glass factory of La Granja.
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