Madrid — Day 3; the Royal Palace of Madrid

Royal Palace of Madrid

A short stroll across the Plaza de la Armeria takes you from the Almundena Cathedral to the Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid). Looking back toward the cathedral from southeast corner of the palace grounds, just outside the gates to the courtyard, will give you this view of the cathedral:

Almundera Cathedral as viewed from the Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is an incredible complex that has been a work in progress for around 1,000 years. The site began as a fortress. Following various military battles and changing of hands, the palace really began to take shape in 1735 after the original structures were destroyed by fire. Today it looks like this:

Royal Palace of Madrid

You can spend quite a while photographing the exterior details:

Royal Palace of Madrid

But you’ll also want to step inside. Above the grand staircase is a magnificent fresco created by Italian Rococo painter Corrado Giaquinto: