Many royal palaces in Europe are open to the public, and visitors can not only get a glimpse of the mysterious royal life, but also satisfy the fantasy of Western-style palaces. The Royal Palace of Madrid in Spain is one of them.
The predecessor of the Palacio Real de Madrid dates back to a fortress built by the Moors in the 9th century (c. 860-880 AD). In 1562, King Felipe II moved his court from Toledo to Madrid, converting the fortress into a Renaissance-style castle. However, on Christmas Eve 1734, the royal celebration caught fire, destroying the castle. The king at that time was the famous Felipe V (1683-1746), who came from the Bourbon dynasty of France and was the second grandson of Louis XIV. Louis XIV was more fashionable, and Philip V, who grew up in the Palace of Versailles, was impressed by it, and his taste was naturally extraordinary. It is estimated that he has long seen that the original castle is not pleasing to the eye, and since it is burned, he will simply rebuild it! In April 1735, Philip V invited the Italian designer Filippo Juvarra (1678-1736) to Madrid to build for himself a luxurious royal palace comparable to versailles.
Versailles
Philip V's order was to "build the most luxurious palace in Europe", but the designer died just 9 months later, leaving only a wooden model. Filippo's student Giovanni Battista Sacchetti (1690-1764) inherited the teacher's career by designing and building a 180-meter-long square palace with a French façade and An Italian interior. Unfortunately, the palace was not completed before Philip V died, and he was not blessed to enjoy it.
Succeeded by Carlos III (1716-1788) in the mid-18th century, the neoclassical architect Francesco Sabatini (1722-1797) was invited from Sicily, Italy, to expand the palace, the largest renovation of the palace, and most of the rooms seen today were designed and built at that time. The main works were completed in October 1764, and Carlos III entered the royal palace that year, and since then it has become the residence of successive Spanish kings. Each king also remodeled it to his liking, for example, Ferdinand VII asked for a redesign of the interior in the 19th century to change from the Italian style to his favorite French style; his grandson Alfonso XII succeeded to the throne and asked someone to change the interior to the Victorian style... Until the abdication of Alfonso XIII in 1931, the royal palace was the royal residence. But King Juan Carlos I, who stepped down in June 2014, does not live here, but in palaciode la Zarzuela, just outside Madrid. Today, the Royal Palace of Madrid is used only for state events and is open to the public when there is no official event.
It can be said that Philip V and Carlos III made her, and the exquisite and luxurious palace contains the gorgeous dreams of the two kings.
I remember mentioning when I traveled to Latin America that in all the cities of the Spanish colonies, there must be a "Plaza de Armas" in the center. Mainland Spain is no exception, with the Plaza de la Armería facing the southern gate of the palace, designed and built in 1892 by the architect Enrique María Repullés. It was first used as a royal stable, and later as a royal palace armory, which is also the origin of the name of the square. Looking around, it is completely French style, which shows how deeply the Palace of Versailles had a deep influence on European palaces at that time.
On the south side of the square is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amudena.
Sabatini once designed the main building of the palace to extend the wing hall to the south on each side, but later only the east wing hall was built, and the other places were built with promenades, which surrounded the square like arms.
The city of Madrid is high in the east and low in the west, and the square is the dividing point. Passing through the arches of the west promenade, you can overlook the lower Moorish territory (Campo del Moro), and outside the territory is the Manzanares River that runs through the city.
The palace ticket office is also located in the Plaza de Armas, the ticket is 10 euros per person, and entry needs to go through strict security checks.
The Royal Palace of Madrid covers an area of about 135,000 square meters and has 3,415 rooms, but only 50 are open to the public and there is only one route when visiting. It is the third largest royal palace in Europe after the Palace of Versailles in France and schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. I also introduce some of the most important and representative rooms by impression alone.
Entering the palace, the first thing you see is the long main staircase, designed by Sabatini, and the two stone lions at the top of the staircase symbolize kingship.
At the end of the stairs is a statue of Carlos III made by the Spanish sculptor Roberto Michel (1720-1786).
The sumptuous zenith, painted by the Italian painter Corrado Giaquinto (1703–1766), depicts Spain's great victory over the Saracens (Arabs of the Middle Ages), showing the majesty and luxury of the royal palace.
Ascending to the second floor, the first entrance is the Salón de Alabarderos, named after the garrison of Carlos III's guards.
In 1761, Carlos III hired the famous Italian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) and his two sons to paint the room's zenith painting Venus and Vulcan, based on ancient Greek mythological stories: Venus derailed in an Anthes of the Trojan royal family and gave birth to an illegitimate son, Aeneas. Venus also asked her husband, Vulcan, the god of fire, to build weapons for the son, as depicted in the zenith painting. Legend has it that during the Trojan War, Aeneas rescued his biological father from the city of Troy and came to the banks of the Tiber River after many hardships, they were the ancestors of the ancient Romans.
The Salón de Columnas, named after the fluted pilasters around them, was originally used as a ballroom and performance hall, and later for major ceremonies, such as the "Holy Thursday Rites" performed annually by members of the royal family. It was an ancient and devout Catholic custom in which the king washed his feet in front of all and served dinner to the 12 poor people who symbolized the apostles, a ritual that continued until the reign of Alfonso XIII. In modern history, this room has also held many major meetings, such as the NATO summit in 1997. It was also here that on June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos I announced his abdication and was succeeded by his eldest son, Philip VI.
The next room is the most beautiful hall designed during the period of Carlos III, the Salón de Gasparini, designed by the Italian designer Matías Gasparini in the Rococo style that swept Europe at the time. This French court art, which originated in the early 18th century, is known for its intricate and delicate decoration, decorated with arc-drawn patterns of flowers and leaves, with a bit of feminine beauty in luxury.
The Salón del Trono is one of the most splendid rooms in the palace, designed by Zachetti in 1737 and not completely decorated until 1772. Ceiling paintings by Italian designers, crystal chandeliers by Venetian craftsmen, walls decorated with embroidery and velvet... It shows the splendor of the reign of Carlos III. It has always been the place where the king received envoys from various countries, and the throne is a replica of the period of Carlos III. The statues and gilded stone lions on either side of the throne were shipped from Italy, and some were written by the famous Baroque master Bernini.
The rooms, which blend baroque and Rococo styles, make extensive use of mirrors, increasing the daylighting and visual area of the room.
The Royal Palace of Madrid is one of the best-preserved and exquisitely preserved palaces in the world, with not only a mix of French, Italian and Spanish designs and decorations, but also paintings by masters including Rubens and Goya.
Tips：
1. Opening hours: 10:00-18:00 (Winter October-March); 10:00-20:00 (Summer April-September)
2. Fare: 10 euros
3. Opening hours: Closed all day: November 6, 7 and December 25, 2018; Real Capilla in the Royal Palace on November 17 and 24, 10:00-16:00 on November 29, 10:00-16:00 on December 24 and 31, 2018; 10:00-15:00 on December 24 and 31.
4. During state affairs and official events, the palace is not open to tourists
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【Author:Desert Rose】
Global travel expert, travel experience engineer, freelance writer, guest host. He has traveled to nearly 50 countries and more than 200 cities on five continents.