Several constructions had occupied this venue in the heart of Madrid before the palace came into existence in its current glamour. The first of them was a Moorish fortress, the Alcazar of Madrid, which was built in the 9th Century during the reign of Mohammed I, Emir of Cordoba. Five centuries later, the fortress was completely renovated and gained the status of royal residence under the name of Antiguo Alcazar, or the Old Castle. In 1734 however, the palace burned right on Christmas Eve. King Felipe V ordered a new construction on the same place, which was finished in 1764, the building process spreading over two decades.

The new Royal Palace, such as we know it today, was designed by the prominent Spanish architect Filippo Juvarra with the assistance of Juan Bautista Sacchetti. The grandiose building has obtained the fame of being the largest and most impressive royal palace in Western Europe in terms of size with impressive total area of 135,000 square metres and the stunning number of 2,800 rooms. The interior of the palace was magnificently decorated by world-famous artists like Goya, Velazquez, Caravaggio and Gasperini in a variety of styles, including frescoes. High-quality materials from all over the world were employed in the construction and decoration - Spanish marble, mahogany, gilded stucco and fine wood. The decoration itself consists of various ornaments from different epochs.

When not used for state ceremonies, the Royal Palace is open to visitors who can admire some objects and collections of extraordinary cultural and historical importance. Particular attention deserves the only complete Stradivarius string quintet in the world, as well as the Royal Armoury. The latter hosts a few amazing collections of weapons and armour that have belonged to the Royal Family from times immemorial. This is considered to be the largest gathering of this type worldwide. One should definitely visit the Throne Room, where exhibits of great historical value are exposed. Throughout the palace, in all 50 rooms open to the public, there are numberless art treasures to be seen, from pieces of porcelain to designer furniture and tapestries. Eventually, the gardens attached to the Royal Palace, known as Campo del Moro, are a perfect end of the palace tour with its diversity of plants, intact since 1890.