page_title: Royal Alcázar of Madrid
section_title: Characteristics
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Alcázar of Madrid / Characteristics
caption_attribution_description: Español: Vista del Alcázar Real de Madrid y entorno del Viejo Puente de Segovia (Tarde de toros en la ribera del Manzanares).English: View of the Alcázar Real in Madrid and the Segovia old bridge surroundings
context_page_description: The Royal Alcázar of Madrid was a fortress located at the site of today's Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. The structure was originally built in the second half of the ninth century, then extended and enlarged over the centuries, particularly after 1560. It was at this time that the fortress was converted into a royal palace, and Madrid became the capital of the Spanish Empire. Despite being a palace, the great building kept its original title of Alcázar.
  The first extension to the building was commissioned by King Charles I and completed in 1537. Its exterior was constructed by the architect Juan Gómez de Mora in 1636 on a commission from King Philip IV.
  As famous for its artistic treasures as it is for its unusual architecture, it was the residence of the Spanish Royal Family and home of the Court, until its destruction by fire during the reign of King Philip V, on Christmas Eve 1734. Many artistic treasures were lost, including over 500 paintings. Other works, such as Las Meninas by Velázquez, were saved.
context_section_description: Despite the efforts to give the building a more harmonious design, the modifications, extensions and refurbishments carried out over the centuries did not achieve this goal. French and Italian visitors criticised the irregular facades and deemed the building's interior labyrinth-like. Many of the private rooms were dark and had no windows for ventilation, something much sought-after in the hot climate of Madrid.
  The main area of asymmetry was the western facade, which, being situated on the edge of the ravine of the Manzanares Valley was the least visible from the urban area of Madrid. However, at the same time, it was the first view seen by visitors coming into the city from the Segovia Bridge.
  It was this facade which underwent the least number of redesigns and as a consequence retained the most medieval character of the building. It was made entirely of stone, with four turrets, although several windows bigger than those in the old fortress had been built. The four turrets were finished with conical slate spires, similar to those on the Alcázar of Segovia, which reduced the military feel of the building.
  The remaining facades were built from red brick and granite (from Toledo), which gave the building the characteristic colouring of Madrid's traditional architecture. These materials were abundant in the influential area of the city as clay is plentiful on the banks of the  Manzanares and granite in the nearby Sierra de Guadarrama.
  The main entrance was on the southern facade, which proved especially problematic in the redesign of the building, due to being dominated by two large square spaces, built in medieval times. Both of these interrupted the longitudinal line of the facade which linked the Golden Tower (built under the reign of Philip II) with the Queen's Tower (built during the refurbishments under Philip III and Philip IV).
  With the design of Juan Gómez de Mora, the towers were hidden, giving more balance to the building as a whole. This can be seen in the 1704 drawing by Filippo Pallota. This architect also integrated the appearance of the Golden Tower and the Queen's Tower by adding a pyramid-shaped spire to the Queen's Tower, identical to that of the Golden Tower.
  The Royal Alcázar of Madrid was based on a rectangular plan. Its interior, divided by two large courtyards, was organised asymmetrically (see image 3). The King's Courtyard, situated in the western part of what was the medieval castle, was smaller than the Queen's Courtyard on the opposite side. This courtyard divided the rooms built during the reign of Charles I. The Royal Chapel was erected between the courtyards under the orders of King John II of the Trastámara dynasty. For many years, the courtyards were open to the public and markets were held there, selling a variety of goods.
caption: View from about 1670
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