What to see inside Royal Palace of Madrid? History, Interiors & Tips for your visit

From ceiling to the floor,
Art covers the surfaces wall to wall.
From throne room to bed chambers and the banquet hall
The tour inside Royal Palace of Madrid will leave you in enthrall. 

Discover the best things to see when you visit Royal Palace of Madrid. Along with the key highlights of the Madrid Palace, get tips on booking tickets, guided tours, best time to visit and more. 

El Palacio Real de Madrid is the epitome of grandeur. Behind its elegant Baroque façade is a maze of royal extravaganza of over 3400 rooms – making it the largest living palace in Western Europe (even bigger than Buckingham Palace of London). Not all of them are included in the Royal Palace of Madrid tour but the ones I saw were enough to give me a visual overload. Every inch of the space of the Royal Palace of Madrid interiors is a piece of art – frescoes, paintings, sculptures and even antiquities.

Get ready to be dazzled on this virtual Madrid Royal Palace tour. As you go along this blog article, you will see the highlights of what lies inside Royal Palace of Madrid. I have also, included information on the Madrid Royal Palace tickets – the various types, the prices, how to book, where to book, the palace timings and more. There are also, options for the various Royal Palace Madrid guided tours.

By the end of this article, you will know what to expect when you visit Royal Palace of Madrid.

Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting me with this.

History of the Royal Palace of Madrid

It was in the 9^th century that the Arab Caliphate constructed a fortress or Alcazar at the present-day Madrid Royal Palace site. This Madrid Alcazar was largely to protect their trading route and boundary at Toledo. It remained their stronghold till they were driven out by the Castille kings in the 11^th century.

The Castilleans slowly occupied the Alcazar and over time, kept renovating and extending it. It remained as an outpost for Toledo till Philip II decided to move his capital to Madrid. This was in 1561 and after he occupied the Alcazar of Madrid, the interiors and the new designs began to get a French touch. As I understand, the king and his Queen had spent a lot of time in Versailles and thus, began to remodel their new home to resemble the old.

It was in 1734 that there was a significant event in the Royal Palace of Madrid’s history. A fire that accidentally started in the palace razed it completely to the ground. As the story goes, the warning bells for the catastrophic fire were mistaken for church bells and it became too late to douse it. Many significant pieces of art, including some of Veláquez‘s paintings were lost forever. A few that were saved by throwing them out of the window are now on display at the Prado Museum in Madrid.

The fire went on for 4 days. It was two years later in 1736, that a new palace was commissioned by King Philip V. In 1738, the famed architect – Filippo Juvarra began the construction of the new palace. He however, died before he could see the end and his disciples Giambattista Sacchetti along with the famous Francesco Sabatini took over the construction and design.

It was only in 1764 that the current El Palacio Real de Madrid was finally finished. The Royal Palace of Madrid has been the palace of residence for the Spain royalty. The last king to occupy it was King Alfonso XII in the 1870s. Though the Royal Palace of Madrid remains as the official residence of the Spanish royal family, they now live in the Palace of Zarzuela in Madrid. An autonomous agency called Patrimonio Nacional takes care of the maintenance of Royal Palace of Madrid’s interiors and treasures. The palace continues to be used for official state functions, events and concerts.

Today, when you venture inside Royal Palace of Madrid, you will not find traces of its early Alcazar days. However, it is still intact with its elegant rooms, legacies and stories.

The Architecture of the Royal Palace of Madrid

I didn’t have to go inside Madrid Royal Palace to recognize the typical Baroque style architecture. The carved façade and tall columns akin to some of the monuments that I had seen in the Vatican made it obvious. As I learned during my tour – the lead architect – Filippo Juvarra drew up his plans in what is known as the Berninesque style of Baroque (inspired by Bernini).

The ornate and plush Madrid Royal Palace interiors with its sweeping staircase are further testaments to the Baroque architecture. You will also, see a few elements from the Neoclassical school – largely Roman style when you explore the entire palace. I will point those out to you when we reach those rooms.

Having learned from the fire incident, the current Royal Palace has minimal use of wood. It is largely restricted to the doors and windows while the rest of the place is made with stone and bricks.

Madrid Royal Palace map and layout

I have already shared one of the key Royal Palace of Madrid facts – it is the largest living palace in Western Europe. It is built on a sprawling estate of 1,450,000 sq ft and has 3410 rooms. The central building is set around a central courtyard and has multiple levels. The ground floor largely consists of offices and courts, while the first floor has the private chambers of the Spanish Royal family. The next floor has living quarters for the staff.

Each member of the family has an apartment which consists of a set of rooms like the Anteroom, Antechamber, bedroom etc. These are interconnected but the access to the most private rooms is only for the privileged. The anteroom for example, is like a living room area where ministers are allowed. These semi-public rooms face the inner courtyard while the extremely private chambers like the bedrooms face away from the courtyard.

As you can see in the map of the Royal Palace of Madrid, the main building extends in the form of wings between which is the Parade grounds. Called the Plaza de la Armenia, this is where the Change of Guards ceremony takes place (more on that coming up). The palatial grounds also include the Royal Gardens which have some amazing landscapes.

There are three major Royal Palace of Madrid entrances. The first is Puerta del Principe which is where I entered from. This faces the east and is close to the Catedral. The 2^nd is Puerta de Santiago which is to the south and finally, a private entrance for the Royal family is to the north. The individual Royal Palace of Madrid tour generally starts at the Puerta del Principe entrance while the group tours begin from Puerta de Santiago.

Exploring inside Royal Palace of Madrid

With the history and layout of the landmark attraction of Madrid, you are all set to visit the Royal Palace and Gardens, Madrid. I have written this section in the exact order of how I saw it. In my honest opinion, the interiors of the Royal Madrid Palace are very ornate and it can get overwhelming to notice every minute detail. To make it easier for you, I am only sharing the key highlights of each room and maybe an interesting story or two about it. That way, you know what to look for when you actually visit.

The Lobby – the first stop on your Madrid Royal Palace tour.

The Lobby is a passageway that you encounter as you head towards the grand staircase of the Palace. You will easily recognize this with the large statue of what seems to be a Roman emperor. This is the statue of King Charles III dressed as a Roman to symbolize his dynastic roots to that era.

As the story goes, while King Philip V was the one to commission the Madrid Palace, he wasn’t the first to live in it. It was King Charles III who occupied it in 1764, after the construction was done. Hence, he gets the space in front of the Grand staircase that leads to the inner rooms of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

The Grand Staircase – the first taste of the ornate Royal Palace of Madrid interior

Built to impress, the sweeping staircase gives you the first taste of the ostentatious interiors of the Palacio Real de Madrid. It is also, the site for another one of those interesting facts about the Royal Palace of Madrid. The steps are made from a single piece of San Agustin marble. The staircase balustrades sport a lion each – which are a symbol of the Kings. The lions pose in two different manners to symbolize the ruling philosophy of “strength” and “control” as practiced by the Spanish monarchs.

However, the most eye-catching facet of this staircase is the ceiling fresco done by the artist Corrado Giaquinto. The painting depicts the Spanish monarchs in the protective sphere of the Church.

Once you climb the stairs, you will notice a space across the landing. Called Camón de la escalera, this is where the musicians would play their welcome tunes. In my mind’s eye, I could pretty much see ladies dressed in velvet gowns accompanied by formally dressed partners climbing up the carpeted stairs as the violins played in the background.

The staircase ends with two busts – that of King Philip V and his wife Elisabeth Farnese. Finally a homage to the one who gave the orders to create this masterpiece of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Halberdiers’ Hall

Halberdiers were the elite guards of the Royal family of Spain. This hall was named after them but was originally intended to be a Throne Room. The key highlight of this room is its paintings by the famous Italian artist – Giambattista Tiepolo. The frescoed ceiling is where you will find a central figure of Venus ordering Vulcan to give weapons to Aeneas and aid the conquest of Rome.

Watch out for this painting of the family of King Juan Carlos done by the artist Antonio Lopez. What makes it special is the story behind it. Apparently, it took 20 years to finish it because the artist had to paint each member separately and do it over and over till they were all satisfied. I guess, everyone is picky about their looks!

Hall of Columns – the former state Banquet Hall of the Royal Palace of Madrid

This hall glitters with crystal chandeliers and ornate tapestries. It was originally used for all official banquets until it was shifted to an even grander setting (coming up soon). However, to date, it is used for formal ceremonies. It is here that the agreement for Spain to join the European Union in 1985 was signed. After this, Spain became a part of the Schengen visa scheme. It is also where the current King Felipe VI inherited his legacy from his father in 2014.

Anteroom of Charles III

In the layout section, I touched upon the apartment concept and how the Royal Palace of Madrid rooms were arranged so that only the highly privileged were allowed to the innermost rooms of the Royalty. The Anteroom of Charles III is the beginning of his apartment area. This space was more like a waiting room for guests and naturally was decorated to flaunt.

Every inch of this space is an artwork. You will see painted ceilings with chandeliers and silk hangings with paintings on the wall. According to me, the best part of this room that you can make a note of is the ceiling fresco showcasing Hercules by Anton Raphael Mengs.

Antechamber of Charles III

This blue and yellow room is where the King spent quality time with his near and dear ones – and sometimes his key ministers. The room has been dubbed the “conversation room” and is currently a host to invaluable paintings done by Velaquez, Goya and Titian. In fact, the portraits of Charles IV and Maria Luisa de Parma are Goya’s work.

These paintings in the Royal Palace of Madrid were displayed only in summer. In winter, they were replaced by tapestries to keep the room warm.

Chamber of Charles III (Gasparini Room)

If you want to know what Rococo style means, then the Chamber of Charles III in the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain is a good and simple example. The elegant curves of the floral motifs that are almost everywhere defines this type of décor. Also called the Gasparini room (after the artist who designed it), this room evoked a floral frenzy in me.

While I personally found the room intimidating with its opulent decor, I also, found the interiors ingenious. The artist Gaspirini aligned his plant motifs such that they continued from the floor onto the upholstery and the walls. No wonder this room took 55 years to finish.

One of the other features to look out for in this Royal Palace of Madrid room is the oriental stucco ceiling. Also, keep an eye out for one of the oldest clocks in the Madrid Palace called the Shephard’s clock. While it isn’t as elaborate as the one that I saw in Hyderabad’s Salar Jung Museum and the Chowmahalla Palace, it is still a beautiful 260-year-old antique that works to perfection.

Tram of Charles III

Well, this space is not really a tram but a space used a private chapel for King Charles III. He liked his little prayer here before he went to his bedroom. This is also, where his valet waited, in case the King required him any time at night.

There are two key highlights that you should try to spot here. One is a camouflaged door that leads to smaller passages for the servants. There are several of them in the Madrid Royal Palace. These helped the servants get to different rooms unseen and before their masters arrived.

The 2^nd thing to check is another Goya painting in the Royal Palace of Madrid – this time the theme is a Wild Boar hunt.

Bed chambers of Charles III – one of the Royal Palace of Madrid bedrooms

It is here that King Charles III breathed his last. King Charles III was known as the “good mayor of Madrid” for all the progressive developments he introduced in the city. In honor of his contributions, an Order of Charles III was introduced and various patrons of the city were honored.

Years later, the grandson of King Charles III – Ferdinand redecorated this bedroom and dedicated it to this Order. When you visit Royal Palace of Madrid, try to spot three symbols on the walls of this room – the Roman number III, Lion and Castle emblem and the Bourbon dynasty symbol of Fleur de lis. Also, watch out for the antique Qing vases kept in the room – straight from China.

Porcelain room

I am not sure what exactly this room was used for. However, the significance of it lies in the fact that the room is covered with porcelain plaques – from the ceiling to the walls. You can spot the Far Eastern and oriental influences here.

I am told that the porcelain that came in through the trade route was loved by the late King, who initiated a factory in Spain. These plaques were created in that factory and installed in the Madrid Palace.

After the glittering rooms that I had so far visited on this Madrid Royal Palace tour, this room was a relief for the frazzled eyes. I liked the color play that the space offered.

Yellow Anteroom – the beginning of the Queen’s apartment inside Madrid Royal Palace

Yellow and Gold shine through the first of the rooms that are a part of the Queen’s apartment. This is where you can see shades of the Neo-classical style of architecture – most of which I have seen in the Vatican Museum and the Doge’s palace in Venice. The use of human figures along with various motifs along the walls is one of the characteristics of this style.

When you visit the Royal Palace of Madrid’s yellow anteroom – pay attention to the furniture – especially the chairs. These are designed in a Roman-Greek style by a wood artisan called Gabriel Blanco. He was highly inspired by the finds of Pompeii and based his design on that.

Banquet Hall – one of the key highlights of the Royal Palace of Madrid

The Banquet hall is possibly the most popular attraction inside the Royal Palace of Madrid. The 40m long table seats 130 guests and when dismantled (yes, it can be), the place transforms into a dance hall. If you look carefully, you will see two high chairs among all the others. This is for the King and Queen, who sit opposite to each other.

This room replaced the earlier banquet hall – the Hall of columns that you visited earlier. To date, the State banquets are still held in the present room.

In the past, this magnificent hall was actually three of the rooms in the Queen’s apartment. It was later converted into a single hall. If you look up at the ceiling, you will notice three different designs in the same room.

Exhibition rooms for Silver, Glass and Porcelain treasures

The next three rooms have been converted into a gallery to showcase some of the Royal Palace of Madrid’s treasures. The first room is called the Dessert Room and has a unique centerpiece made by a renowned silversmith – Valadier.

The 2^nd room is the Silver exhibition room that has some of the antique gifts and possessions of the Royal family. Keep an eye out for the unique Riding corps that were given as wedding gifts to one of the Royal couples (I forget which one)

The last room showcases the dinner sets in glass and porcelain. Some of these have been procured from China way back in the 17^th or 18^th century.

Exit this series of rooms and you will come across the central courtyard called the Princes courtyard, from where you can see the square layout of the entire Palace.

The Royal Chapel in the Palacio Real de Madrid

The Royal Chapel is the tallest room that you will see on your Madrid Royal Palace tour. It is filled with stunning frescoes, golden arches and sculpted Stucco art. You will see these huge black marble pillars holding up a dome that has been painted by Sacchetti and Corrado Giaquinto. The main altar has a painting of the Archangel Michael done by the court painter Anton Raphael Mengs.

The Royal Chapel could seat the entire court during religious proceedings. Don’t miss the 18th-century organ that still works and is used during concerts.

The Queen’s Salon and the Stradivarius Room

The next room was a salon leading to the chambers of the Queen. Currently, it is used as an exhibition room for antique musical instruments. The collection has a violin that was made back in 1652.

Following that is a room named after a maestro musician- Antonio Stradivari, who made 4 -string instruments. The collection of Viola, Cello and quartet displayed here were made in the 17^th century and are still used in the concerts held in the Hall of Columns in the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Crown Room of the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain

The name itself will tell what you can expect to see when you visit. The throne itself along with the sceptre and crown of Charles III, the document of inheritance of 2014 and a Sphinx table where the most significant documents of history were signed – it’s all on display in this room.

Stucco Room

Another Neoclassical addition to the Royal Palace of Madrid. The room is heavily inspired by the Pompeii finds. In fact, the room strongly resembles Sala Rotunda of the Vatican museum – with its stucco walls and ceilings.

Official Antechamber of the Royal Palace, Madrid.

Now you will pass the Grand staircase again and enter another opulent reception room for the Ambassadors. This room has various portraits of the Spanish kings but the one thing I could not stop looking is the Golden Fleece painting on the ceiling.

Official Anteroom

If you have ever seen any of the official photos with the heads of states in the Royal Palace of Madrid, then this room might be familiar. This is where most of the Press shoots happen. The room is filled with 18th-century tapestries and also, has the busts of King Alfonso and his wife.

Throne Room – almost the end of your Royal Palace of Madrid visit

The best are reserved for last as they say. The Throne room with its velvets, antique chandeliers, tall mirrors and Tiapolo paintings on the ceiling is a sight to behold. The room was decorated in 1792 and still retains all of its original interiors.

There is a unique ceremony called the Kissing Hand of the King that takes place here. There are two thrones kept in the center. These thrones are copies of the original which are now on display in the Museum of Prado.

The sight of this room is possibly the best end to your tour as you leave with memories of grandeur and glory – something that I know I will always associate with the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Other Galleries and Special tours of the Royal Palace of Madrid

Just seeing the rooms on the Royal Palace of Madrid tour took me over 2 hours. By the end of it, I was overwhelmed with details and decided to skip a few of the other inclusions in my tickets to Royal Palace of Madrid. However, I am adding those additional galleries and places to visit inside Royal Palace of Madrid for you. Most of these are free except for the Royal Palace Madrid Kitchen tour – for which you have to pay extra.

Royal Armoury in the Royal Palace of Madrid

This is an exhibition on the ground floor of the Madrid Royal Palace. Here you can see the arms collection of the various Spanish kings – from their armor gear to the firearms used. You will also, see their horse’s armor. Kind of reminded me of the amazing collection that Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur, India which even has elephant howdahs.

Royal Palace of Madrid Gardens

There are three of the Madrid Royal Palace gardens that you can visit for free. In fact, you have likely crossed one of them to get to the entrance of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

• Plaza de Oriente – this is the garden that you will encounter if you are walking from Plaza de Ramales – the place that is full of cafes (Refer to my Madrid itinerary for 2 days). This is a Baroque-style park with a monument of Philip IV in it.  
• Campo de Moro – The gardens are so-called because in the 11^th century, Al Ben Yusuf tried to take back Madrid from the Spanish Kings. For the same, he camped with his army in this place.
• Sabatini Gardens – These are the most recent of the three gardens. Built in a neoclassical style with pools, statues and fountains, this green space was thrown open to the public in 1978 by King Juan Carlos. The name of course, honors the great architect – Francesco Sabatini.

Madrid Royal Palace Kitchen tour (to be purchased separately)

You can visit one of the best-kept royal kitchens in Europe during your Madrid Royal Palace visit. The kitchen was first built in 1742 and has over 2000 staff working in it – including chefs, helpers and servers. The space has over 2000 kitchen appliances on display – from ovens to utensils used to prepare a feast for the Royal family. There is also, a dining room where the family partook their meals and a separate area where food for the Royal princes and princesses was prepared ( I am told it has colorful tiles in it).

A note on the Change of Guard ceremony of the Royal Palace of Madrid (When, where and how to see it)

One of the free things to do at the Palacio Nacional de Madrid is to witness the Change of Guards ceremony. This traditional event involves a synchronized event where the present set of Guardia Real hand over their duties to the new shift. The Guardia Real or the Royal guards are the one incharge of protecting the Royal family.

I believe, it is as majestic as the Change of Guards ceremony that takes place at Buckingham Palace in London and I for one , really wanted to see. However, it was not available when I visited (on a Tuesday).

The Change of Guards ceremony takes place every Wednesday and Saturday at 11 am at the Plaza de la Armenia – the big square in front of the Catedral. The admission is free but that also, makes it difficult to grab a spot. It is recommended that one gets there at least 30 minutes before it starts. The ceremony goes on till 2 pm. You can enter through Puerta de Santiago – the same gate that I entered from for my tickets.

How and where to book your Madrid Royal Palace tickets?

I highly recommend that you pre-book the Royal Palace of Madrid tickets online. I made a mistake of opting for offline tickets and was stuck in a queue for almost 45 minutes. The online tickets for the Royal Palace of Madrid can be booked on their official website. You can even get skip-the-line tickets through this link.

Royal Palace of Madrid ticket prices

• Base ticket cost per adult- €14
• Combination ticket including the Royal Kitchen tour – €18
• Only Royal Kitchen tour – €6
• Audio guide – €5

The above prices are just the entrance tickets which can be bought on the official website or at the Royal Palace of Madrid ticket counters. These tickets do not include a guide. If you are looking for Madrid Royal Palace guided tours – then consider booking through this website.  

Madrid Royal Palace free entry (Is the Royal Palace of Madrid free?)

The Royal Palace of Madrid free entry is limited to citizens to European Union nations or people who have a work permit in these countries. The free entry is only between 5pm to 7pm -from Monday to Thursday.

Other than this option, if you are in Madrid on International Museum Day (18^th May) or the Spanish National holiday (12^th October), you can visit Royal Palace of Madrid for free – irrespective of your nationality.

Additional tips for visiting the Royal Palace of Madrid

While I have covered most of the important information for visiting the Madrid Palace, here are a few insider tips based on my own experience.

• PREBOOK your Royal Palace of Madrid tours and tickets. It will save you a lot of time.
• If you do not want to purchase an audio guide (which comes with a tablet), then opt for their mobile app. It has the same audio service for all the main rooms of the Royal Palace of Madrid. However, note that this audio guide is just the basic explanation. The actual on-ground guided tours of Royal Palace of Madrid might be a better option to get the juicy stuff out.
• There is a locker facility available inside the Royal Palace of Madrid. You will have to leave your bags behind in the locker before proceeding for the tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid. This is safe and free of cost.
• Flash photography is prohibited throughout the Palace. Initially, I was told that in general photography was not allowed and I was all set to leave my camera behind but to my surprise, it seems that now it is all fine as long as you switch off the flash. People were freely posing and taking pictures in all the rooms of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
• Washrooms are available at the entrance.

Common FAQs about the Royal Palace of Madrid, Spain

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Well, I am sure you have got all the information that you need plus a good virtual experience of the Royal Palace of Madrid. Remember to share this post and even bookmark it for your actual visit.

Ami

Popularly referred to as a Restless Ball of Energy. My Mom refuses to entertain my complaints about my equally restless daughter & assures my husband that I was born with a travel bug.

I am a Post-Graduate in Marketing by qualification and a travel blogger by passion. Besides travel, I enjoy photography and if you don’t find me at my desk, I would be out playing badminton or swimming or just running. I believe in planning for every long weekend through the year. And when I cannot travel physically, I travel virtually through this travel blog. My travel stories have also, got published on various websites and magazines including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet India and Jetwings. I have recently published my first book – When Places Come Alive – a collection of stories that are based on legends, landscapes, art and culture of a place which is available in both ebook and paperback format.

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