The Royal Palace of Madrid

Madrid

Madrid has been an active settlement since prehistoric times. The streets of this city on summer nights and why not in winter are full of cosy restaurants and bars.In the weekends, you can sit with friends on one of the open verandas and enjoy a glass of wine.In winter when it is rather cool there are also enough places where you can go for a walk.

In Madrid there are fifty museums, a lot of squares, ancient streets and every building on it has a separate story. Besides, not only the squares and monuments determine the spirit of the city, but also its fiestas, carnivals, and every Friday evening, since they contribute to make Madrid an entertaining city. For me, Madrid is one of the most green European cities. The symbol of Madrid is a bear, stretching for the fruits of the strawberry tree. The name Madrid comes from the Arabic "Magerit", which means "the place of many streams''. The interesting fact about Madrid is that here there are more sunny and more cloudless days of the year than in any other city in Europe.

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The Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real de Madrid)

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The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official although not the actual home of the Spanish royal family. Now it is used mainly for ceremonial and public functions.Nowadays the Royal Palace of Madrid is open to the public as a museum of unique buildings and architecture. The palace is built on a hill, on the banks of the Manzanares River, where the Campo del Moro Park is located, with bushy trees, paths and fountains. The interior of the palace is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. Here, every room, every piece of interior is admired. The construction was conducted for 17 years and it was completed by Charles III. The material used for the building was stone.It served as the home of the Spain’s monarchs.

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Before it would become the Royal Palace of Madrid, it was the home of Antiguo Alcazar, translated as the Old Fortress. But this fortress burnt down and Philip V ordered the construction of what would become the Royal Palace of Madrid.

Since 1950, the palace is open to the public.In 2008, the tradition of guard divorce was again restored.It involves 300 foot soldiers and 100 guardsmen. Today, the palace holds awards ceremonies, audiences and solemn events in connection with the celebration of the Day of the Spanish Nation.

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A simple walk around the Royal Palace itself is already impressive. The palace is surrounded by picturesque parks.Behind an elegant fence is a huge courtyard. I mostly liked the scenery of armours and weaponry of the Kings of Spain in the Royal Armoury, the Royal Pharmacy and several fascinating rooms such as that of Charles III and his Hall of Mirrors.

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The Royal Palace of Madrid features as one of our Top 10 Visitor Attractions in Spain. One of the amazing moments when i was in Madrid was when I saw the policemen riding horses near the Royal Palace, I have seen such an amazing scene only in films. Here in the first Wednesday of each month you can observe a beautiful ritual - the change of guard guardsmen.It is one of the best shows which is free in the city. If you want to attend the formal ceremony, you should know that it takes place at 12:00 on the first Wednesday of the month. And I had a chance to see it. The soldiers are wearing gorgeous military uniforms with helmets and white breeches. There are more than 400 guardsmen and women and 100 horses like before. The ceremony with the uniforms, reminds us of the glory days of Imperial Spain.

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For several centuries, the best craftsmen worked here. The palace has more than 2800 rooms. The Throne Room of the Palace, decorated in the spirit of rococo which is magnificent, with many sculptures and walls covered with velvet. As well as there are large mirrors made by the Royal Glass Factory.It is like Versailles, only in Madrid. Huge crystal chandeliers were brought from Venice. Here are four paintings of Francisco Goya only I didnt have much time to take photos of all these marvels.

There are some halls for official use, among which the following are particularly distinguished:

• The Rococo-style throne room with furniture, mirrors, clocks, walls, with statues depicting the main virtues.

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• The Gasparini Hall is also made in the Rococo style. The powerful ensemble was created by Matthias Gasparini, decorated with silk, embroidered with silver thread, mirrors and marble floor of the same pattern, is complemented by the decor of the chandelier and table.
• The Porcelain Hall is decorated with porcelain panels. The chapel has the form of a Greek cross and is decorated with frescoes.

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Availability of the palace

If you go from the center of the city, from the Plaza Mayor square, then you can walk along the Calle Mayor street right up to the palace, it will take you no more than 15minutes. In the Royal Palace, you can buy a ticket for a guided tour accompanied by a guide or a normal ticket (for € 1. 00 cheaper), with which you can walk the palace yourself. For adults- € 10 and for children (5-16 years), students - € 5. The Royal Palace is open from Monday through Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and from 09:00 to 14:00 on Sundays and Holidays. The Palace gardens (Campo del Moro) are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 from October to March.

The guides tell in great detail, and the tour lasts about 45 minutes. But I walked with my friend and the palace has enough information signs describing all the halls and their purpose. The Royal Palace has enormous artistic wealth inside.

There are as well as tunnels that allowed the royal family to attend the service without fear of being attacked. Another tunnel was used for evacuation.

The territory of the recreation zone is divided into twoparts.In the center of the first there is a rectangular lake surrounded by sculptures of Spanish monarchs and bushes. The palace works all year round, depending on the season and there may be work changes as well. The palace is closed to visits during official events by the king, as well as on public holidays. The main entrance is on the southern facade to the Armory Square.

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