How to Tour Madrid's Royal Palace
Sitting on a hill on the site of a medieval fortress, the Royal Palace of Madrid is a study in superlatives. It consists of over 2,000 rooms and has from six to eight stories. It's the largest royal palace in Western Europe--even larger than Versailles.Its last resident was Alfonso XIII, who fled the country in 1931. The Spanish monarchy was restored in 1975, and the current king lives in another palace outside Madrid, but the Royal Palace is still the official home of the King, and as such, is used from time to time for important events. In between banquets and treaty signings, though, the rabble are allowed in to see how royalty lived for two centuries.
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Instructions
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Enter through the Plaza de la Armeria, turn right, and buy tickets at the Royal Pharmacy. Cross the parade ground and go in through the main doors of the palace, into the vestibule and climb the Main Staircase. The fresco overhead depicts Spain protecting religion. You'll notice how low the risers are on these stairs, making the staircase almost like a ramp. This was so servants could easily carry ladies into the palace in sedan chairs.At the top of the stairs is the Halberdier's Room, a former guard room, which is furnished simply by the standards of this palace. Go straight on into the Hall of Columns, which was originally intended as the site of another grand staircase. This hall was used for balls, banquets and important ceremonies, such as the commemoration of Maundy Thursday, when the King, in imitation of Christ at the Last Supper, would wash the feet of twelve beggars selected from the streets of Madrid.
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Turn left and go into the Throne Room, with red and gold embroidered wall coverings and two thrones on a dais, guarded by four bronze lions. The frescoes depict the glory of the Spanish Empire and Crown. To the right of the Throne Room is the Saleta of Carlos III. This room, with its silk walk coverings, was where the King used to take his lunch. Go straight ahead from there into the Antechamber of Carlos III, a dining room reserved for the King, and hung with paintings of Carlos IV and Queen Maria Luisa by Goya. Next up is the dressing room and Audience Chamber of Carlos III, known best as the "Gasparini Room." The swirling, almost hallucinogenic designs on the floors, ceiling, walls and furniture are a triumph of the work of artist Matteo Gasparini. Turn right into the "Tramcar" of Carlos III. This is really just a private chapel. It was given its unusual name for its long, narrow shape. Go straight into the Hall of Carlos III, a room with pale blue silk walls that was used by various monarchs as a bedroom or dressing room.
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Proceed on to the Porcelain Room, which not only has porcelain vases on the tables, but also white, gold and green porcelain relief work on the walls and ceiling. Adjoining this is the Yellow Room, a sitting room paneled in yellow silk. Beyond this is the aptly-named Gala Dining Room, which has fifteen chandeliers and a table that can seat 145. Turn right into the Plateresque Room, a Spanish Renaissance room with a collection of medals on display. The room was used as a movie theater by Alfonso XIII.
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Go right into the Silverware Room where, predictably enough, silverware is displayed. Cut through the Chinaware Room, and turn left into the Stradivarius Room, which showcases instruments made by the famous Antonio Stradivari. Turn right into the Musical Instruments Room, the furnishings of which include several pianos from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Turn right back into the Stradivarius Room, then left back into the Chinaware Room, where table services are displayed.
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Step out onto the Main Gallery overlooking the central courtyard and go left, right and left again to the Royal Chapel, a vast room with a canopy over the seats of the King and Queen and a lofty dome with a fresco depicting the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. Exit the Chapel, go right, right again and down to the Billiard Room on the left, a walnut-paneled room decorated in 1879. Go right into the Smoking Room/Japanese Room, with Asian-style silk panels. Next to that is the Plasterwork Room, a sitting room with elaborate stucco walls and the Fine-Woods Room, a Rococo study. Turn right, go onto the Main Gallery, then make a left back onto the Main Staircase. It goes without saying that only a few of the Palace's rooms are open to the public.On the ground floor you'll turn to the left and visit the gift shop in the vestibule. If you step back onto the parade ground, the Royal Archives (which is closed) and the Royal Armoury are to the right and the Royal Pharmacy is to the left. These latter two, as well as the Palace gardens, are well worth exploring if you have the time.
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Tips & Warnings
The Palace is located on Calle Bailén in Madrid. Admission is charged. The entrance fee is based on which combination of sites you'd like to tour. There is access available for the disabled. The Palace is open year-round, with different hours for summer and winter. As the ceremonial home of the King of Spain, the Palace also closes for tours during state occasions. For more information go to the link in the Resources section.
