The majestic Royal Palace is the successor to the old Alcazar of Madrid, a medieval fortress converted into the palace which King Philip II made the Spanish monarchs’ official residence in 1561. The Royal Palace that we see today was built upon the foundations of the Alcazar after it was destroyed by fire in 1734. The palace has been uninhabited for many years and today’s Monarchs use it only for solemn events and important ceremonies. This is Western Europe’s largest royal palace and one of the biggest worldwide: it has floor space of 135,000 sq.m and 3,418 rooms. Also known as the Palacio de Oriente, it shelters paintings by such great artists as Velázquez, Caravaggio and Goya.