Madrid - Palacio Real

Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. Madrid is part of the historical landscape of Castile and is located in the middle of the Meseta, the plateau of Castile.


The site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times. The first document about the existence of an established settlement in Madrid dates from the Muslim age. In the second half of the 9th century Umayyad Emir Muhammad I built a fortress here. After the disintegration of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the early 11th century, Madrid was integrated into the Taifa of Toledo. In 1083, Madrid was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile. In 1309, under Fernando IV, the Assembly of Estates (Cortes) of the Kingdom of Castile was convened for the first time in Madrid.


In 1561, Philip II moved the royal court from Valladolid to Madrid. It became the de facto capital of Spain, which it remains to this day. In 1701 the War of the Spanish Succession broke out, which led to the Anglo-Portuguese occupation of the city in 1706. It ended in 1714 with the Bourbons taking over the Spanish throne. Today's royal palace was built under their rule. Particularly during the reign of Charles III, who is therefore popularly referred to as the “best mayor of Madrid”, the city's public infrastructure was modernized and numerous public buildings were built.

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish royal family in the city of Madrid but is now only used for state ceremonies. With 135,000 m² of usable space and 3,418 rooms, it is the largest royal castle in Europe.

An Alcázar, a Moorish castle, stood on the site of today's palace until the 18th century. A fire in 1734 destroyed this residence and created the need for a new building.

After the War of the Spanish Succession, the Bourbons came to power and the young royal family wanted to demonstrate their strength by building a new palace. Philip V commissioned the architect Filippo Juvarra to begin planning. However, Juvarra died, which is why his student Giovanni Battista Sacchetti was commissioned to continue the planning and the new building.

Charles III moved into the first rooms in the new building with his family on December 1, 1764.