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The Royal Palace in Madrid is actually used (but not owned) by the king of Spain for state ceremonial activities. The palace was built on the site of a former alcazar that burned down in 1734. It took 26 years to complete. A visitor to the palace today gets to see 50 of its 2800 rooms.
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After walking up and down the street, I decide this had to be the place, but where is the entrance?
The entrance is on the south end of the palace. Unless there are lines, you might not notice it immediately.
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Look for the blue "Entrada" sign. |
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Parade Ground -I took this photo from the entrance of the easily missed Armory, located in a southwest section of the parade ground enclosure.
After paying entrance fees, one enters the parade ground. As seen in the photograph above, the entrance to the palace interior is through the doors slightly left of the photo's center.
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Hall of Columns: The first room encountered on ascending the amazing staircase. See the large version of this photo.
The palace is still used for head of state visits and other ceremonies. Consequently, you might find it not accessible for your tourist visit.
Visit the Throne room |
While the palace is impressive in size alone, I was really amazed by the broad range of styles used to decorate the rooms. No two rooms appear to have been done in the same manner.
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