Things You Can´t Miss at the Madrid Royal Palace

Of all the activities you can do during your trip to Madrid there is one that I can not fail to recommend: a tour inside the Royal Palace. Why? Because among its many walls, halls and rooms there are great stories to discover.

Undoubtedly, the royal halls are the rooms that attract the most attention, as they are decorated in great detail. However, in addition to the taste for ornamentation, you will see that many areas of the Palace are almost perfectly preserved, so you can get a pretty good idea of where the Spanish monarchs lived for years.

The first place you are likely to see during your visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid will be the Halberdiers' Hall. It is quite spacious since Sacchetti, the architect behind its creation, conceived it as a ballroom. However, Charles III decided that this is where the royal guard (the halberdiers) would be placed. Since then, that is its use whenever there is an official visit.

When you enter you will see that its interior is solemn and that, except for the ceiling that has a mythological painting of Aeneas and Venus, there is not much decoration. Why? Precisely because of this change in its use. Instead of the original rich ornamentation, they opted for pilasters and a much simpler design.

However, the taste for art has ended up reaching the Alabarderos Hall, mainly because of the large painting of the family of Juan Carlos I that presides over the room. In addition, there are other canvases and mahogany furniture that bring more warmth to the place.

The Throne Room is a space you can't miss, it's all about history! This is where, since its decoration was completed in 1772 during the reign of Charles III, visitors are received in an official and ceremonious manner.

It was also the place where, when they died, the kings' burial chapels were placed until they were taken to the royal cemetery, which you can visit if you book an excursion to El Escorial. You could say that it is the central room of the Palace, and in fact it occupies the main facade.

Beyond the historical value it has due to the personalities that since the eighteenth century have accessed it, the Throne Room, also known as the Ambassadors Room, marvels for its vault. In it is painted in fresco the representation of "The greatness and power of the Spanish monarchy", by Tiepolo. Through allegories the history of the royal family is told, leading the viewer's eye to the throne.

The furniture, especially the throne, also draws attention for its artistic wealth brought from Italy by Giovanni Battista Natali, who was in charge of designing the space. Before leaving, I advise you to observe the detail and beauty of the golden lions and the sculptures of Minerva and Apollo that watch over the throne.

Another of the halls with more stories to tell is the Hall of Columns. For centuries, official balls and receptions have been held here, as well as the signing of important treaties, such as Spain's accession to the European Community.

Although knowing everything that has happened within the four walls that enclose this great hall is reason enough to visit it, the classical art you will find there will leave you with your mouth even more open, you'll see!

The first thing your eyes will notice is the sculpture of Charles V of Germany and I of Spain. Be careful, it is a copy of the original, which you can only see if you visit the Prado Museum. What is not a copy are the Belgian tapestries that finish decorating the room, although even more impressive is the vault.

On the ceiling of the hall is painted a scene in which the sun, a metaphor for the monarch, seems to illuminate the entire space, although it seems impossible to do so only through brushes.

I know, as soon as you enter the Gasparini Hall you will feel overwhelmed by the decoration. It's normal, the style in which this space was designed is rococo, famous for how ornate it is. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), this room is one of the most beautiful in the Royal Palace of Madrid. It was not always a salon, since during the time of Carlos III it was his chamber.

Although it has changed its name and now bears the surname of the artist who designed it (Matías Gasparini), its interior has not changed in the least. When you enter it, you will see it just as the different monarchs saw it throughout history. Like you, I'm sure they were also impressed with the marble floors and the silver thread of the tapestries.

What use is it put to now? After officially receiving visitors in the Hall of Columns, the King enters this room with his guests for an aperitif or coffee.

When you enter the Hall of Mirrors, you will, of course, see your image multiplied in the different reflections. When you look away, the next thing you notice is the art that runs along the walls of this space, along with the mirrors. Tomás de Castro was the creator of a meticulous iconographic work, because yes, every sculpture, painting or even wood carving has a meaning.

As you can imagine, the fact that there are so many mirrors has an explanation: this room was the place where kings and queens dressed. In its beginnings it was the consort Maria Luisa of Parma who used this cabinet. In fact, it was designed for her in a very French style, trying to emulate the Palace of Versailles.

As time has gone by, the Hall of Mirrors has had other uses, it has even been a cinema. Alfonso XIII used to meet there with his family to watch movies. Nowadays it is where the Royal Orchestra is placed when it has to put music and some rhythm to the great banquets that are celebrated in the Palace.

Although it is not a hall, the Main Staircase of the Royal Palace of Madrid deserves all the attention. The reason? Its Imperial style and its double level. When you go up its 72 marble steps you will realize what it intends to convey: power and luxury. This is achieved with its balustrade and the large sculpture of Carlos III just when you reach the central landing.

The staircase has been modified several times over the years, but do not worry because you will not notice it thanks to the good architectural work of Sabatini, who was in charge of changing the height and layout of the stairs as requested by the king.

I have no doubt that seeing it you will feel the same amazement and admiration as Napoleon. The emperor, when climbing the stairs of the Royal Palace after conquering Spain, told his brother Joseph, to whom he left the kingdom, that his house was going to be better than his own in France.

More than a room, the Royal Armory is a museum in itself. It is located at one end of the Plaza de Armas and there is a large collection of armor and other war objects from the Royal Palace. Just by telling you that it is one of the most recognized and important in the world, you will understand why you should visit it.

If we have anyone to thank for being able to see such a collection, it is Charles III, who stopped giving away his armor to religious centers, as was the tradition during the Middle Ages. Instead, he began to keep them and it was his son, Philip II, who brought them all to Madrid. There are hundreds of weapons here, not only Spanish, but also Portuguese or Moorish.

If so many warlike objects saturate you, I recommend you to go out again to the Plaza de Armas and go to the other end, where you will find the Real Botica. Here, instead of weapons, the museum is made up of flasks, cabinets, ceramic elements... where for years the herbs and natural medicines that were used to cure the royalty were kept.

The Spanish monarchy has always been closely linked to the Church, so you should not be surprised to find a church inside the Royal Palace. Of course, you will feel that something is missing, and you will be right, because the architectural project of the Royal Chapel has never been finished.

As a result, the altar area is quite austere, although the positive thing is that the dome of the ceiling was finished and now looks amazing thanks to the paintings of Sachetti and Ventura Rodriguez.

In the Chapel the protocol was very important and was fully respected, so you will see that there are different areas. The whole court had an assigned place, while the people could only enter sometimes and place themselves only in the entrance area, which is known as the antechapel. On your visit, however, you will be able to get close to the Cancel, the tribune from where the kings heard mass.

You will also be able to contemplate the organ, which is unique for the quality of its sound and for having been made according to tradition. The person responsible for this was Ferdinand VI, for whom music was paramount, especially in sacred territory.

The Spanish monarchy may not have a collection of jewels like the British, but I assure you that the cultural richness in the Stradivarius Room is even better. I don't think you have ever seen so many instruments of such high quality together; in total, four pieces (a viola, a cello and two violins) made by the famous Antonio Stradivari in 1700.

These four instruments are part of the Stradivarius Palatinos collection, being one of the most important in the world. Do not think that they are only on display to see them, because in fact they are still used in concerts held inside the Royal Palace.

To get to the Gala Dining Room you first have to go through the Yellow Sallet, which has that name because the fabrics that decorate it are of that color.

Once you cross the door into the Dining Room it will be obvious that you are entering one of the largest rooms in the Royal Palace. However, at the beginning it was not so large; the current space is the result of the remodeling that Alfonso XII ordered, by which three rooms were joined into one.

What has not changed has been its function, as it is still the place where banquets and dances are held when there is an official visit or state dinners. During the visit you will be able to see how the table is dressed on those occasions, of course, with the best of tableware.

How many people do you think can eat there at a time? I'm telling you: one hundred and forty-four people. Of course, the table was designed in a very practical way to be able to pick it up easily and quickly and leave space for dancing after any banquet.

I have no doubt that you will enjoy the interior of the Royal Palace of Madrid, walking through its halls and discovering the art that is in them. Have you already taken note of the essentials?