Royal Palace of Madrid: Home of Spain’s Monarchs

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit the official residence of the Spanish royal family.

The official residence of the Spanish royal family in Madrid was designed and begun by Italian architect Filippo Juvarra in the Baroque style. The palace was completed by Spanish architect Juan de Villanueva and Italian-Spanish architect Francesco Sabatini, who added elements of the neoclassical style. Inspired by French Baroque palaces, the palace features a large square floor plan with a central courtyard, Baroque gardens, and galleries. The design draws inspiration from Bernini’s sketches at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Novikov Aleksey/Shutterstock

Located in the heart of the Spanish capital, the Royal Palace of Madrid stands as a symbol of Spain’s regal heritage. Built in the mid-18th century atop an old Moorish fortress in the French Baroque and neoclassical styles, the palace spans over 1 million square feet and almost 3,500 rooms. The Royal Palace is the official residence of the Spanish royal family and is still used for state functions. Madrid’s Royal Palace is famous for being one of Europe’s largest palaces.

King Philip II modified the original Moorish fortress in 1561 into the royal residence, the Alcázar. After a fire destroyed the palace in 1734, King Philip V ordered the construction of a Royal Palace. Construction began in 1738, designed by several architects, including Filippo Juvarra, Giovanni Battista Sacchetti, and Francesco Sabatini. The Royal Palace was inaugurated in 1764.