Do you know the Royal Palace of Madrid ? All you need to know about it
The Royal Palace of Madrid is at the same site as the Umayyad Fortress. This Fort was erected at the end of the 9th century, to defend Toledo. The first Bourbon King of Spain, Philip V. ordered to built The Royal Palace of Madrid. It has beautiful Ionic columns and Doric pilasters. Made with limestone of Colmenar de Oreja . Its base is of grey granite from the Sierra de Guadarrama. Its 2800 rooms, finished in only 17 years.
All 4 façades of the Royal Palace of Madrid have a dedication : The North facade, to religion. The South to politics. The East, to militia and the West to science.
Is it worth a tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid?
We will leave to you the answer to this question. But first, let us provide you with some helpful information about the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Let’s start with some statistics. According to Statista, the Royal Palace of Madrid had 1,517,887 visitors in 2017. 6,690,000tourists from abroad visited Madrid the same year. 22.68% of them toured the Royal Palace. This site is among the four favorite tourist destinations of Madrid. On the other side, Madrid is Spain’s leading Community in cultural tourism.
The pillars of a cultural tourist offer are a relevant set of attractions. Historical, artistic, architectural, decorative and social customs attractions. The Royal Palace of Madrid brings them all together:
Historical Highlights:
The Royal Palace is the Office of the King: Head of State of Spain. It is an ideal place to crumble the most curious historical events. From 1755 to the present days, amazing things took place within its solid walls. It is also the best place to tell tasty royal anecdotes. And the way in which the Bourbon Kings who inhabited it, from Philip V to Alphonse XIII, lived and worked.
Nowadays, important Official Acts take place in this Royal Palace . Such as presentation of Credential Letters of new Ambassadors. Or Royal Audiences and Gala Dinners .
Historical-artistic Highlights:
The Royal Armory exhibits the spectacular armours of Emperor Charles V and his son King Philip II. German and Italian craftsmen made of it artistic steel sculptures. With interchangeable pieces, adapted for wars, military parades, gala receptions or tournaments.
The Royal Armory of the Royal Palace of Madrid is an essential sample of Decorative Arts. His spectacular collection of armours describes an important period. When Spain was the most powerful Empire in the world. Apart of it, all exhibited armours are a work of art.
Artistic Highlights:
In the vaults of the Royal Palace are impressive rococo and neoclassical frescoes . Made by painting geniuses such as Guiaquinto, Mengs or Tiepolo. All are a reason enough to do a tour of the Royal Palace. Visitors will enjoy royal portraits of Goya. And notable paintings by Lucas Jordan, Vicente López or Federico Madrazo.
Architectural Highlights:
The 6 floors of the Royal Palace of Madrid constitute a jewel of the Italian neoclassical style. To prevent fires its walls are 4 meters thick ! From its imposing ‘Patio del Príncipe’, which has a surface of 2500 square meters, you access to the Palace’s interior. The entrance is through the gate of the facade of the Militia. Right under the ledge where are the statues of the first two Bourbon Kings with their wives, and a relief of God Mars.
Decorative Highlights:
King Philip V promoted Royal Factories. His intention was to create a model for luxury national craftsmanship. There is no doubt that this target was achieved.
Proof of this are the enormous mirrors of the Royal Cristal Factory of la Granja. Visitors will admire it in almost all rooms of the Royal Palace. It reflect the flashing lights of the chandeliers. And multiply the visual space. Carpets of Santa Barbara royal factory warm the marble floor in winter. Silk upholster the walls and harmonizing with handmade the curtains of same material. Armchairs, chairs and tables testify the excellency of products of Buen Retiro royal cabinet. Travellers get impressed with The Dionysian Porcelain Room. Countless wonders of Spanish handcrafts shine in all rooms of the Royal Palace in Madrid.
Royal habits and customs :
Walk with your guide of Madrid Museum Tours through the dependencies of the Royal Palace. Have fun with entertaining anecdotes of Kings. For example, at what time King Carlos III wanted always be awaken ? Which was the farewell phrase that King Carlos III dedicated to his late wife Amalia? What did the main Majesties used to have for dinner? How many people served the kings dinner ? How many helped the kings to get dressed ? What was the use of Italian architectural element ‘between the floor’ ? The origin of the Flower of Lys ? How did Queen Maria Cristina forgive the love affair of her husband, King Alfonso XII a showgirl ?
In short, supposing you have economic means for a private tour of Royal Palace of Madrid do not hesitate to book it ! You will get explained all things that are not told in regular tours. From the symbology to the secrets of frescoes and paintings, It’s worth!
You have now the important information that you need to answer the question of the heading.
You can now answer whether a tour of the Royal Palace in Madrid is worthwhile for you.
The answer is YES ? Book here right now the best private tour of the Royal Palace
You will enjoy like nobody else all its beauties, stories and mysteries.
Time has come to go into detail!
Essential things to know well the Royal Palace of Madrid.
– and that only in our private Tour you can enjoy –
All easy
You are an individual traveller who aims the best benefits for you and party. This includes, of course, a private tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid which has to be perfect, in every way.
How to get it ?
1.- Tickets.
Save your time. Don’t fight with the complicated booking and ticketing system of Royal Palace web..
There is an easier and more efficient way, that you will find below.
Otherwise, there are some websites which offer ‘skip the line’ Royal Palace admissions. This said, for a considerable surcharge. Such websites do not warn that there will be always a queue to accede into the Royal Palace.
And here comes our proposal : Easy, efficient and economic :
- Check the private Royal Palace Tour of Madrid Museum Tours. You will find itinerary, advantages, observations and price.
- Fill in our contact form. Specify number of persons, date and time you wish to book your private tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
- You will receive our reply within 12 hours.
- You will have the perfect tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid and also a good discount on the admissions price.
2.- Your licensed Guide :
Since 1997 Madrid Museum Tours Team specializes in Private Tours for Individual Travelers. Our team is formed by Official Guides of the Community of Madrid.
We want your tour of the Royal Palace to be perfect because we are aware of :
To focus a Royal Palace Tour on a thorough inventory of its elements may be boring, for many visitors. We don’t exaggerate description of Royal tapestries, clocks, porcelains, frescoes, furniture and candlesticks
- That a Tour which some guides lived up with anecdotes and events of kings that you don’t know, it is easy to forget.
- That a guide who is too talkative and dazzle you with his broad knowledge, causes yawning and yawning.
And for those 2 reasons, and some more, this is what we do in our Private Tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid:
- You will learn on the easy way the main context of each visited Room of the Royal Palace . Your guide will summarize only the essential artistic, decorative and historical elements.
- We maintain all the time a lively communication with you and your family. Are your with your children ? Even better! We love to check how children ‘see’ things so much faster than their parents
- Our mission is to know all the historical facts related to the Royal Palace. Also every fresco of its vaults, every clock, every vase or any other decorative element. We answer all your questions. At the right time and in the right way. Of course, always adapting our response to your personal characteristics.
We clarify all your doubts
Suppose a client gets struck by some detail in the Porcelain Room of the Royal Palace. Take for example, the Tableware of Exhibitor window number 3… Client wants to know more about.
The answer our client would receive from his guide would sound like this
”It is the oldest royal table service in the Palace. Property of the first Bourbon king Philip V. Philip V bust was in the main staircase. He was the same monarch who also promoted the Royal Factories of Spain.
It is a Ching Dynasty Oriental Tableware. The Company of the Indies brought it from Kiang Shi. Experts attest that it consisted of two thousand pieces. Check in the centre the coat of arms of the Bourbon Dynasty. Enjoy the background , you may not see again such an immaculate white background.
All the original salad bowls got broken. What a pity. This salad bowl is Spanish earthenware. The royal factory was in Alcora. a city of Valencia region. It is the first ceramic industry of the province of Castellon.
Castellon factories, export ceramic products of superior quality to the whole world ! ”
Important : The guide always verifies that the question has been completely clarified. (In our 21 years of existence no client is been left with a doubt, although many ask again. No problem. On our private tours there is no time limit and we are glad to meet our clients curiosity ).
Full Adaptability
As a matter of fact, Madrid Museum Tours of the Royal Palace are easy and adapted to all sort of clients. Those who seek erudition, as in the previous point, will have it. Those who want simplicity will have it. But always in an entertaining way. It has been our style for 21 years.
Outstanding Aspects
The Royal Palace has some Rooms that surpass others in interest. All rooms ease the transit of visitors and reduce the influx of public at its entrances. We highlight the most attractive rooms below:
Main Staircase
It is the ideal spot to point out the abundant Catholic signs that the Bourbon kings loved to highlight. Besides, the coat of arms fixed under the seated Statue of King Charles IV help us to explain the origin of Spain. As a matter of fact, the Staircase is an excellent spot. From here, clients take photos. Photos that will refresh memories. Of symbolic and aesthetic value of scrolls, garlands and scallops.
Hall of Columns
It was the Royal Palace Dining Room and Ballroom. In 1879 became a centre of transcendental state functions. Madrid Museum Tours official guide will be happy to describe it to you. Many exciting things to unveil. Like the mysterious symbol that hides ‘The Birth of the Sun’ of Corrado Ghiaquinto. Learn also King Charles III connection with Benjamin Franklin and President Washington.
Gasparini Lounge
This Salon is an authentic gift for all beauty lovers. The King of Spain uses it for private conversations with Head of States visiting Spain.
It is a design in Chinese rococo style of Mateo Gasparini. Gasparini was the best specialist of the 18th century in the technic of gilding with stucco. The vault has fantastic golden and green borders, fruits, flowers, birds, exotic trees. Pairs of Chinese people in its 4 corners.
The door frames are of one-piece marble. A silk satin tapestry, embroidered with silver and gold wool cover the walls of the room. Too beautiful to describe it with words.
Upon request, your guide will share with you innumerable and juicy stories. The clocks, spiders and consoles of the Gasparini Room were witness of all .
The Gala Dinning Room
King Alfonso XII commissioned architect J. Segundo de Lema. The transformation of three chambers of Queen María Amalia into a Gala Dining Room. A new spot to celebrate his marriage with his second wife, María Cristina of Habsburg and Lorraine. The date, 29 November 1879.
Too much initial information, you may think ?
Well, this Gala Dining Room deserves some extra time. There is so much to tell…
Beginning with the admirable way in which the royal architect unified the 3 different rooms of the Queen with the elegant inlay parquet, the Brussels tapestries in wool, silk and gold, the French chandeliers, the 2 frescoes visible in the vaults of Mengs and González Velázquez, spectacular Chinese and Vincennes vases, the enormous table formed by removable boards to adjust it to different gala dinners….
Make the most of the special attraction of the Gala Dining Room. Let your guide explain you the protocol that governs the Gala Dinners. Be embellished with entertaining specifications. Royal tableware, silverware and glassware keep also amazing stories to tell our clients
The Throne Hall
It is the final line of our tour; an authentic marvel, terminated in 1772, in times of King Carlos III .
Andrea Cotardi is the author of the walls cover of red velvet with gold-plated silver borders. The canopy over the King and Queen thrones is a reproductions of the originals.
There are also :
12 immense mirrors of La Granja Royal Factory of Crystal,
12 golden consoles of rococo style,
magnificent statues,
busts and sculptures,
enormous French and English clocks
and above all,
the fantastic fresco of Tiepolo’s vault about ‘The Greatness of the Spanish Monarchy’
All this wonders build a magnificent scenery. Learn here the protocol of the ceremonies that take place in the Throne Hall. And keep in your mind all the exquisite royal crafts that you admired in the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Special Offer:
For all these reasons, if you book our Private Tour of the Royal Palace today,
Enjoy a personalized Madrid Panoramic Tour for a supplement of only 120 Euros. 2.5 hours in Private Van. Tour with us some spots that you would never know on your own. Local places that it are not included in the Hop On/Hop Off itineraries of the Tourist Bus.
Offer subject to availability and limited to the first 5 reservations per date.
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