Royal Palace of Madrid

The Royal Palace of Madrid is a baroque building in the center of the Spanish capital that covers more than 135,000 square meters with over 3,400 rooms. The structure sits on a hill above the Manzanares River and forms a continuous architectural ensemble with the adjacent Plaza de Oriente.

Construction began in 1735 after a fire destroyed the previous Alcázar fortress, led by architects Filippo Juvarra and Juan Bautista Sachetti. Completion took several decades and was only finished under Charles III.

The name Palacio Real refers to its function as the official residence of the Spanish crown, now used mainly for state ceremonies. Visitors can walk through halls decorated with frescoes by Tiepolo and Mengs that depict courtly life from past centuries.

The building is open from 10:00 to 18:00 between October and March, and until 20:00 between April and September, with several entrances for individual visitors and groups. Guided tours in multiple languages help with orientation through the many halls and galleries.

The Real Cocina is the oldest preserved royal kitchen complex in Europe with original equipment and architecture from the 18th century. Visitors can see large copper cauldrons and brick stoves there that still show the spatial arrangement of work processes from that time.

Location: Madrid

Inception: 1735

Architects: penepenepene, Francesco Sabatini, Juan Bautista Sachetti

Architectural style: baroque architecture

Accessibility: Acceso limitado en silla de ruedas

Fee: Yes

Address: Calle Bailén

Opening Hours: octubre-marzo: 10:00-18:00; abril-septiembre: 10:00-20:00

Phone: +34914548700

Website: https://patrimonionacional.es/visita/palacio-real-de-madrid

GPS coordinates: 40.41674,-3.71362

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:59