Point of interest
Palacio Real
in Madrid, Spain
The largest royal palace in Western Europe, with its state rooms and the Sabatini Gardens.
Where it is
The Royal Palace rises above the Manzanares valley on the western edge of the old town, facing the Almudena Cathedral and the Plaza de Oriente.
Address: Plaza de la Armería, 28013 Madrid
What it is
With around 3,400 rooms it is the largest palace in Western Europe. Visitors can tour lavish state halls, the Royal Pharmacy and Armoury, and works by Caravaggio, Velázquez and Goya, set off by the sweeping Sabatini and Campo del Moro gardens.
History
On the site of the former Alcázar, which burned down in 1734, the Bourbons built a vast new palace between 1738 and 1755 to designs by Filippo Juvarra. Charles III moved in as the first royal resident in 1764; today it is used by the Spanish Crown for state ceremonies.