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Madrid's royal palaces Facts and links |  |
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Top of the list is el Palacio Real, the Royal Palace, the sumptuous 135,000 square metre residence built by King Ferdinand VI, el Rey Fernando VI. Started in 1738, the palace was built to replace el Alcázar, the former residence that was destroyed by fire. The new palace features a staggering 2800 rooms, housing silver-lined crimson tapestries, extravagant bronze sculptures and many other priceless decorations commissioned by master artists. Today el Palacio Real is for visitors only, as the Royal Family reside in el Palacio de La Zarzuela situated in north east Madrid. At the other end of the scale is the austere Real Monasterio del Escorial. Situated 50km to the north of Madrid in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, this enormous palace was planned by the staunchly Catholic King Philip II, Felipe II, as a monastery and mausoleum, and as a place from which he boasted he could "rule the world with two inches of paper". Some of the more severe prison-like rooms were eventually given the 'changing rooms' treatment by later, more-design conscious monarchs but Philip's simple rooms, with the rugged chair that supported his gouty leg and the deathbed from which he would observe church mass, remain the most fascinating. You can even visit them for free on certain days of the week if you hold an EU passport. However some of the most impressive residences are those built by Spain's Moorish rulers. La Alhambra in Granada is legendary. El Alcázar in Seville is another example, and one of the most impressive and best-conserved Arabic palaces in Spain. Links El Escorial - facts and images from the monastery and town El Palacio Real de Madrid - learn about the history of the palace El Alcázar - Seville's royal palace These links are included for educational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement by the BBC of the products or services featured. |
The former kings of Spain certainly knew how to build a palace, and Madrid is home to some of the most spectacular royal real estate.