Real Palacio is one of the most beautiful royal palaces in the world situated in Madrid, Spain. It was the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family.
About Real Palacio
The Palace was initially built as a fortress during 875 by Muhammed I. When the Moors were defeated and driven out of the Toledo in the eleventh century, the fort was continued to be used as a defensive measure. By the passage of time, several towers were added to the castle by Henry III and his son John II after his death. During the war of Castilian Succession in the year 1476, the militants of Joanna la Beltraneja were captured and caused severe damage to the Real Palacio. The Habsburg Emperor Charles V renovated the castle and extended it in the year 1537. Philip II made Madrid his capital in the year 1561 and continued the renovations. Philip III added a long southern façade during 1610 and 1636. At present, the fort is not in use a residence of the royal family. King Felipe VI resides on the outskirts of Madrid. At present, the palace is open for the visitors from all over the world.
Tourist Attractions of Real Palacio
There are many attractions that you will find in the Royal Palace of Madrid. It contains furniture, tapestries, paintings, and ceramics and many other important works by Tiepolo. You will find dozens of tapestries and paintings which characterize the palace as one of the most valuable and visited museums. About 880000 visitors from all over the world visited this tourist spot in the year 2006. The palace has a garden named Campo del Moro. It is also worth visiting. It is located to the east of the palace and contains many sculptures of various Spanish monarchs. Across the plaza you will find the Royal Theater which you may also consider visiting.
How to Get to Real Palacio
From Madrid-Barajas Airport, the palace is about 22.9 kilometers away and it may take about half an hour to reach the site through via M-40. You may use bus, car and train services to get to the site.
Opening and Closing Hour
The site remains opened for the visitors throughout the year except the days of official ceremonies. In case of any renovation and repairmen work the palace remains closed or the visitors are given permitted to visit only specific areas determined by the Patrimonio Nacional, the governing body of the palace. The opening hours are given below:
- From October to March, the site remains opened from 9.30 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday. At Sunday and holidays, it remains opened from 9am to 2pm.
- From April to September, the fort remains opened from 9 am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday. In the holidays the closing time is at 3 pm.
- There are some specific dates when the site remains closed for official functions. They are 1st and 6th of January, 1st and 15th of May, 12th October, 9th November, and 25th December.
Ticket Price of the Palace
It will cost you 8 euro to purchase the ticket of Real Palacio. If you want to visit the palace with a guide, it may cost you around 10 euros to visit the site. You can purchase tickets from both online agents and the ticket counter of the palace. You may also decide to hire a guide to know abou the palace.
Car Parking Facilities
There are two parking lots where you can park your car while visiting the Royal Palace. They are Vinci Park which is 7 kilometers away from the royal palace and Calle Maria de Molina. The contact number of the Vinci Park is +34 915 56 50 72 and from Calle Maria +34 915 62 56 60. If you need any additional information regarding the car parking, you should try to contact with the parking lot and garage authority with the given contact information. The rate for parking generally varies based on the amount of time or hours you want to park your car. Sometimes there are discounts for the visitors in the special days. You may also check their official websites for more information. The official website address is: http://www.vincipark.es/
Safety and Security
The site has a strong security system to protect the visitors from all kind of crimes. There are security guard and police who are engaged in the protection of the visitors and the site all the time. The palace is protected by the state department with close supervision. So the visitors’ safety and security is ensured in the palace area. All the visitors are checked at the entrance of the palace so that no one can enter the palace with any unusual and harmful things. There are security guards and police for the safety of the visitors. If you face any kind of problem, you should communicate and consult with the security personnel.
The Best Time to Visit the Palace
You can visit the palace throughout the year except some specified dates mentioned above. The best time to visit the palace is at the morning and evening. If you want to avoid crowd, you should choose the morning time. On the other hand, if you want so many people walking around you while visiting the palace, you should choose the afternoon period as there is more crowded in the afternoon. If you want to avoid long queues you should reach the palace half an hour before the opening of the gate. Usually the palace gate is opened at 9 am in the morning.
The Real Palacio bears history of thousands of years of rulers of Spain. You must not miss the chance to visit the site and get to know the ancient history of the rulers of Spain. It will not only make you remember the history of the ancient dynasties but also make you acquainted with the architectural capabilities. So why not make out some time to visit this amazing place in Spain.
