page_title: Royal Armoury of Madrid
section_title: Former building
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Armoury of Madrid / Location / Former building
caption_attribution_description: English: View of the former building of the Royal Armoury of Madrid (c. 1884).
context_page_description: The Royal Armoury of Madrid or Real Armería de Madrid, between many other things, the collection contains the personal arms of the Kings of Spain, and also houses military weapons, armours and diplomatic works of art like mixed tapestries, paintings and other works of art and trophies. Among the most notable parts of the collection features armor and full tools that Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Philip II used. It is considered, along with the Imperial Armory of Vienna, one of the best in the world, and even it is often described as "the best collection of its kind in the world".
  The decision to grant preferential treatment to the Armory dates back at least to the death of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, which occurred on 21 September 1558. At the end of 1559 had already been made known to the testamentaries of the Emperor the decision of the new King of take to him the Armory.
context_section_description: This building that is currently known as "Antigua Real Armería de Felipe II" was decided, apparently, in 1553, to provide the Alcázar of a new Stables. The conception of it is probably due to Philip II himself judging by a sketch of his fist preserved in the Archivo General de Simancas. 
  This former armoury was located in the complex of the Royal Stables of the Alcázar of the Habsburgs, who it built was the master builder Gaspar de Vega between 1556 and 1564 at the behest of King Philip II. When works were completed, the king commanded to move the Armoury to the wing of the Stables that was in front of the main facade of the Alcázar.
  The new site was structured around a rectangular hall of 63 meters long by 10 meters wide, and consists of ground floor and main floor. Crowning the building a ledge of stone on which stood the roof truss and slate roof, and stepped gables at both front ends. Downstairs, destined to stables, it had three naves, while the upper floor, where it settled the Armory, was completely clear. The interior of the hall was completed in 1565. It was whitewashed and a large portion decorated with azulejos from Talavera de la Reina pottery by Juan Florez. 
  The most characteristic element of its structure was the called "Arc of the Armoury" that connected the Alcázar with the outside, the arc was built during the reign of Charles II of Habsburg.
caption: Back facade of the Antigua Real Armería de Felipe II (photo in 1884).
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