Everything began in 1560 when the foundation stone was laid on the place of a former cloister. The initiative was that of the then reigning King Philip II, who had also initiated the construction of another well-known royal site – El Escorial. The design was entrusted to the same architects, Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera. The whole process was completed under the reign of King Ferdinand VI, and later two further wings were built during the times of Charles III. The present royal complex consists of a magnificent four-wing palace around an inner courtyard in addition to the Royal Garden and the Real Casa del Labrador. The palace was built as a mix of different styles – it boasts a splendid Baroque facade in red and white, but it also has some rococo ornaments and the particularly noteworthy staircase by Bonavia. Other spaces worth mentioning above all include the unique Porcelain Room with walls covered in porcelain, as well as the Museum of Palace Life on the ground floor, which presents interesting artefacts characteristic of that time. Most of the furniture and decorations in the interior date back to the 18th Century, a fine example being the Hall of Mirrors.

Visitors to the Royal Palace of Aranjuez will be fascinated by the vast collection of paintings by great artists like Brueghel and Lucas Jordan, tapestries, furniture and many other objects of great historical and cultural value. A stroll through the gardens around the palace is a must for all who want to get a full impression of the complex - fantastic fountains, wide alleys and lush vegetation will make it an unforgettable experience.