In my travelling years I have realized that I am really not into museums. I do like most museums mainly because they are housed in a beautiful old structure but to patiently walk hall to hall and peruse all the ancient paraphernalias owned by dead people inside? That’s torture to me. I only want to visit a museum if the items on display are an interest otherwise I am content to see the usually magnificent façade.
I do want to visit again the beautiful Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The museum has great collections but I only want to visit when the decade-long renovation is done. The last time I was in Rijksmuseum was more than 10 years ago. I remember seeing exquisite gigantic doll houses that belonged to princesses back in the Middle Ages. That was really something.
Now, my desire not to visit museums also applies to large buildings like royal palaces. Castles though are fine, I am still enchanted by them, but massive palaces?
So yes, this entry brings us to Madrid’s Royal Palace called ‘Palacio Real de Madrid’ dating back to the 16th century. It is the official residence of King Juan Carlos of Spain but he doesn’t really sleep here. The palace is mainly used for state ceremonies and are guarded heavily. Not with a battalion of guards with arms but if you get near to the palace, especially at the main gate, the guard standing there will shoo you away. They don’t even want you taking pictures nearby.
The palace is partially open to the public and I would have loved to visit the beautiful gardens, ‘Campo del Moro’—you can see it on googlemaps/earth, but I hate queuing. Long lines usually is a direct no-no to me unless I am desperate to see it. Well, I am not. The Sabatini Gardens on the right side of the palace was open when we passed by. We checked it out a bit, nice garden but we didn’t really stayed long. I am not sure though if it’s really open to the public.
Thus Blondine and I just marvelled at the baroque-classicism architectural style of Palacio Real de Madrid, took the obligatory pictures and strolled on ‘Plaza de Oriente’ fronting the royal palace.
I actually liked Plaza de Oriente. It’s a very charming plaza adorned with statues of Gothic Kings on the sidelines. The square is nicely designed in a rectangular shape with a curved header that leads to Teatro Real. At the back of the theatre is another square where the Opera Metro is located.
If you want to see an impressive satellite view, click this: Calle de Bailén, Madrid, España and you will see Palacio Real de Madrid, Plaza Oriente and Teatro Real.
Here are my fotos!
In front of the palace facing Plaza de Oriente.
Female Royal Palace guard.
The busy entrance to the palace where you queue up and pay.
Sabatini Gardens beside the Royal Palace.
Plaza de Oriente:
The monument in the center of the plaza is to Philip IV.
Gothic Kings statues on the plaza.
View from Plaza de Oriente to Palacio Real de Madrid.
The Teatro Real in the middle.
Nice looking buildings surrounding Plaza de Oriente.
Travel Period: June 2011
Destination: Madrid, Spain