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The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of His Majesty The King of Spain, who makes use of it for official ceremonies, though not residing there

The origins of the Palace go back to the 9th century, during which the Islamic Kingdom of Toledo built a defensive fort on the site, later used by the Kings of Castile It was on this ancient fortress that the Old Alcázar was constructed in the 16th century

The Alcázar was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve, 1734, and King Philip V wished for a New Palace occupying the same site The entire complex was built with stone and brick vaulting, without any wood, so that no future fire could destroy it

Building work took from 1738 to 1755, and King Charles III took up residence in the Palace in 1764

The decoration of the Royal Palace of Madrid has evolved over time in accordance with the styles prevailing at different moments From the reign of King Charles III are the Throne Room, the King's Chamber (or Gasparini Room), and the Porcelain Room, a masterpiece produced by the Royal Factory of El Buen Retiro

Rich materials were used for the construction and decoration: Spanish marble, gilded stucco, mahogany in doors and windows; and important works of art include frescoes by the principal artists of the period, Giaquinto, Tiepolo and Mengs, and their Spanish followers Bayeu and Maella

From the reign of Charles IV are the Hall of Mirrors and Queen María Luisa's Plasterwork Room, while the Gala Dining Room dates from the reign of King Alfonso XII

In addition to the rooms occupied by the Royal Family during the reign of King Alfonso XIII, the Palace also contains a select Painting Gallery, with major works including the Polyptych by Juan de Flandes, Salomé by Caravaggio, The Horse by Velázquez, and several by Goya Also on display are such notable musical instruments as the Quartet made by Stradivari for the King of Spain, and the outstanding collection of armour in the Royal Armoury

The Throne Room

The decoration of the Throne Room has been preserved intact from the reign of King Charles III The ceiling fresco, completed in 1766, was painted by Tiepolo; it represents the Allegory of the Spanish Monarchy, with personifications of the different Spanish possessions around the world The carved gilt furniture and the embroidery of the velvet wall-hangings were manufactured in Naples, where Charles III had reigned previously The mirrors, enormous for the period, are from the Royal Factory of La Granja, and the rock-crystal chandeliers were purchased in Venice in 1780 In 1650, Velázquez brought from Rome the bronze lions flanking the throne dais; originally, they were placed in the Throne Room of the Old Alcázar, which was on virtually the same site

The Palace gardens are known as the Campo del Moro ("The Moor's Field"), but they originated during the reign of King Philip II Their present appearance dates from 1890

The square situated to the east of the Palace, and known for this reason as the Plaza de Oriente, has recently been remodelled

The Royal Armoury

The Royal Armoury is considered to contain one of the most important collections of its type in the world It displays arms and armour that belonged to kings of Spain and other members of the Royal Family, from the 13th century onwards Apart from the mediaeval pieces, the items belonging to the Emperor Charles V and to his son King Philip II are of particular interest and value

After a long period of restoration, the Armoury reopened to the public in June 2000

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