Royal Palace of Madrid
Royal Palace of Madrid features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Madrid. Give it roughly ~120 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type palace
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Madrid Madrid guide
About Royal Palace of Madrid
The largest royal palace in Western Europe with 3,418 rooms, official residence of Spain's monarchy used for state ceremonies, housing treasures by Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Stradivarius.
The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, though the actual royal household lives at the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela outside the city. Built on the site of a 9th-century Moorish fortress, the present palace was commissioned by King Philip V after the old Alcázar burned down on Christmas Eve 1734. The new Bourbon palace, designed in the Baroque-Classical style by Italian architects Juvara and Sacchetti, was completed in 1764 under King Charles III. With 135,000 square metres of floor space and 3,418 rooms, though only about 50 are open to the public, it is the largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area. The lavish State Rooms display paintings by Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Goya, and the palace also possesses the only complete Stradivarius string quartet in the world.
Did you know? The Royal Palace has 3,418 rooms but only about 50 are open to the public, the rest are used for state functions.
How long is a visit to Royal Palace of Madrid?
Set aside roughly ~120 min for Royal Palace of Madrid. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Royal Palace of Madrid worth your time?
Royal Palace of Madrid is among the 45 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Madrid, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Madrid
Hear the story of Royal Palace of Madrid
Preview the Madrid tour free in the Gingerguide app.