10 interesting facts you may not know about the Royal Palace of Madrid

The palace was originally built by Muhammad I Umayyad Emir of Cordoba, and he used it as an outpost during his reign. Eventually, King Henry III revamped it by adding towers as it was used for defensive activities too. Later, his son used the palace as his royal residence. After Philip II came into being, he made Madrid the capital of Spain and decided to renovate the entire palace.

The interiors of the Royal Palace of Madrid are designed using expensive materials such as mahogany doors, Spanish marble, and stucco. You can also admire paintings by some famous artists like Juan de Flandes, Caravaggio, Francisco de Goya, and Velazquez. Everything in the palace showcases the historic and artistic culture of the Spanish. It also houses Spain’s premiere clock, watches, expensive silverware, and furniture that was used by the royals back in the day.

The Royal Palace of Madrid is built on the site of an old Moorish Alcazar fortress. In 1083, King Alfonso VI took over Madrid and used the fortress at times, and eventually made it his residence in 1329. Later, in 1734, the Palace was destroyed in a fire and a new one was built by orders of King Felipe V.

The Royal Palace was destroyed by a fire in 1734 and it was delayed in putting it out because the locals misunderstood the warning bells to be a call for prayers. Major art pieces were destroyed in the fire including the Expulsion of the Moors, by Diego Velazquez.

This is a very interesting fact about the Royal Palace of Madrid as the staircase is made from a single piece of San Agustin marble. It has more than 70 steps that lead to different rooms that are open to the public. At the bottom, there are two lions sculpted by Felipe de Castro and Robert Michel.

Charles III hired an architect called Sicilian Francesco Sabatini to extend the palace. He designed to add galleries and arcades around the palace but managed to complete just one square on the southern side. The north side has a royal stable. Later in the 20th century, the stable was demolished and the Sabatini gardens were made.

The gardens were designed in symmetrical French designs in 1933 under the Republican government. The designer of the Sabatini Garden was architect Fernando Garcia Mercadel. The garden was given this name because Sabatini was the first one who designed the stables that had once occupied the current garden area.

The Royal Palace gardens are known as the Campo del Moro, which means The Moor’s Field. It was first created on the orders of King Philip II and was later improved by King Philip IV by adding fountains and different plants in the garden.

Known for being the most magnificent room in the entire palace, the Throne Room features mirrors with rich furnishing used to decorate. Designed by Tirpolo, managed to add beauty and elegance to the room through his paintings. This room consisted of all the decorations preserved from the time of King Charles III.

Curated from pieces from the 13th century, the Royal Armoury is known for being one of the best in the world. Tools used by Emperor Charles V in his battles are displayed. Shields and burgonet hats designed by Francesco and Filippo Negroli can be found as well. The Crown Room houses the Crown jewels and Scepter of the Spanish Monarchy.