Madrid’s Royal Palace stands atop what was once the old Alcázar, a strategic enclave built in the ninth century by the Muslims. The fortress was rebuilt in the 16th century as a royal palace by Charles I, the first monarch of the Hapsburg dynasty. But a terrible fire destroyed the building on Christmas Eve of 1734, during the reign of Philip V, the first Bourbon monarch. The Royal Palace that we know today was built on those ashes in 1735, its design based on the work of Italian architect Filippo Juvarra. His untimely death left Juvarra’s disciple, Juan Bautista Saccheti, in charge. The task fell to Saccheti to modify the palace design in accordance with the court’s tastes. After much back-and-forth, the building was commissioned. It rooms, décor and works of art are now enjoyed by visitors (they totaled 1.4 million in 2023). But there are two areas that normal guests may not enter, save on rare occasions: the General Archives and the Royal Library, both of them home to ancient books, documents, photographs, architectural plans, musical scores, parchments, engravings, drawings, maps, letters … This EL PAÍS special offers a unique opportunity to get to know some of these hidden jewels of the Royal Palace.

The general archives

The general archives of the Royal Palace are located on the side of the building that overlooks the Campo del Moro gardens. They house the royal family’s documents, stemming back to the time of Charles I in the 16th century, until 1931, when the second republic was announced and Alfonso XIII was exiled. They start up again in 1939, the year that Franco’s dictatorship began, and continue through to the late 1990s. The royal archives are composed of three floors with 53 rooms and 12.5 linear kilometers of shelves. Directed by Juan José Alonso, the archive is primarily used by researchers, roughly 4,000 of them every year, who make around 15,000 queries, in addition to 2,000 remote queries.

Created in 1814 upon the return of Ferdinand VII to Spain and the crown, the archive’s earlier versions were consolidated into the centralized space that exists today. Its peaceful rooms were disturbed in 1848, when Isabel II decided to install a theater within the palace walls. The architect entrusted with the project situated it in the area that had previously been dedicated to the archive, and the transition was bumpy, with insufficient time dedicated to the transfer of documents and even a period in which the building was left exposed to the elements. Just three years later, the theater was shuttered and the archive returned to its original location. It was largely unaffected by the Spanish Civil War, although some damage had to be addressed by renovations in 1963 and 1987.

The bulk of the Archive is made up of court documents. It features a religious section, where texts related to the Royal Chapel are housed; another one that is dedicated to the Royal Chamber and the monarchs’ private affairs; the Royal Cavalry, which pertains to protocols for leaving the palace, and the Royal Household, whose writings detail the management of goods.

There are also around 65,000 photographs located in the archive, including the first known shots taken of the Prado Museum and of the interior of the Royal Palace itself. Here too are housed 12,000 architectural plans, 11,500 account books, 2,500 scores, 1,600 posters and 1,400 parchments.

The Royal Archive’s oldest document was created in 1148. It details an orchard owned by the Segovia cathedral that was donated to the abbey of Párraces, which was located in the same Catalan province.

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The oldest document in the archive, from 1148, is a parchment that belongs to the collection of the abbey of Santa María de Párraces, which is located next to the Somosierra mountain pass, and which formed part of the dowry for the foundation of the El Escorial monastery. Written in Latin, it details the donation of an orchard that was made by the Segovia cathedral to the abbey. Typically, one writes on the softest section of a parchment, the part of the skin that was stuck to the meat of the animal from which it came. In those days, parchments were generally made from a calf or lamb.

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A privilege signed by Alfonso X the Wise, in which he granted the town of Santo Tomé del Puerto (Segovia) a series of guarantees regarding its maintenance. Privileges were the weightiest documents of the Chancellery of Castile. Normally, they were drawn up at the request of the interested party, lasted for life, and featured a wheel that served as a sign of validation, alongside their seal. The document includes a list of witnesses, high officials of the church and the Castilian court, who appear in hierarchical order.

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A privilege from the 15th century. The document details forgiveness for a series of taxes. In it, it says: “In the name of God, father, son and the holy spirit, who are three persons in one Godhead …” These documents all have a similar structure, with an introduction and some traditional formulaic text, then juridical clauses and the name of the witnesses.

The oldest document in the archive, from 1148, is a parchment that belongs to the collection of the abbey of Santa María de Párraces, which is located next to the Somosierra mountain pass, and which formed part of the dowry for the foundation of the El Escorial monastery. Written in Latin, it details the donation of an orchard that was made by the Segovia cathedral to the abbey. Typically, one writes on the softest section of a parchment, the part of the skin that was stuck to the meat of the animal from which it came. In those days, parchments were generally made from a calf or lamb.

A privilege signed by Alfonso X the Wise, in which he granted the town of Santo Tomé del Puerto (Segovia) a series of guarantees regarding its maintenance. Privileges were the weightiest documents of the Chancellery of Castile. Normally, they were drawn up at the request of the interested party, lasted for life, and featured a wheel that served as a sign of validation, alongside their seal. The document includes a list of witnesses, high officials of the church and the Castilian court, who appear in hierarchical order.

A privilege from the 15th century. The document details forgiveness for a series of taxes. In it, it says: “In the name of God, father, son and the holy spirit, who are three persons in one Godhead …” These documents all have a similar structure, with an introduction and some traditional formulaic text, then juridical clauses and the name of the witnesses.

The archive consists of 12.5 linear kilometers of shelving. These contain, for example, around 12,000 architectural plans, which in some cases have required special storage shelves be built, due to their size. All of the plans have been digitized.

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In this image, the archive’s director Juan José Alonso shows the original 1735-1736 plan for the Royal Palace. Ultimately, only a quarter was built of this original schema, which detailed the construction of an entire royal city. The plan itself is roughly 10 feet wide by 9.5 feet long.

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1757 elevation plan of the palace, from when construction was nearing completion.

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Room plan for a house in Cadiz where meetings of a Masonic lodge took place, drawn by a spy who was in attendance. It includes drawings of objects used in rituals. This is one of the documents from a section of the archive dedicated to absolutist repression during the reign of Ferdinand VII.

In this image, the archive’s director Juan José Alonso shows the original 1735-1736 plan for the Royal Palace. Ultimately, only a quarter was built of this original schema, which detailed the construction of an entire royal city. The plan itself is roughly 10 feet wide by 9.5 feet long.

Architectural plan for the Royal Palace, one of 170 that have been conserved, and which architect Juan Bautista Sacchetti used to keep King Philip and his ministers informed regarding the construction’s progress. Initially, a plan accompanied by a report was presented every week, and subsequently, on a monthly basis.

1757 elevation plan of the palace, from when construction was nearing completion.

Room plan for a house in Cadiz where meetings of a Masonic lodge took place, drawn by a spy who was in attendance. It includes drawings of objects used in rituals. This is one of the documents from a section of the archive dedicated to absolutist repression during the reign of Ferdinand VII.

The archive also houses objects and documents that reflect life in the palace and how it was administered.

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Food menu for King Charles III for November 5, 1769. Roast chicken, roast suckling pig, brains … and for dessert: pastries and fresh eggs.

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Invoice for a boardgame that was made for young Francisco Javier (son of Charles III, who died in 1771 at 14 years of age). The document says: “Said game has 63 numbered spaces in which there are various figures drawn, such as the well, death, the sale …”

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Detail of an invoice drawn up by Goya for one of the tapestries he was commissioned, from October 30, 1776. The artist describes the work with as much precision as a cinematographic script: “It portrays a dance on the banks of the Manzanares River, two men and two women who are dancing and two others who are playing music, one of them sings while playing a guitar and another accompanies on the chordophone …” “There is a soldier in conversation with a woman and another who has taken a break from dancing to drink from the river …”

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Philip II’s “horders and labels” for court personnel related to his spouse, Anna of Austria. The 1575 document details protocol to be fulfilled regarding the queen, and tells of the duties of each servant. For example, for the chief chambermaid it says: “She must take special charge and care to be with her [the queen] at all hours,” “When the queen goes out on horseback or in her carriage and litter and gets out, neither the chief butler nor the stable boy nor any other person shall arrive to dress her skirts or perform any other duty, but the chief chambermaid.”

Food menu for King Charles III for November 5, 1769. Roast chicken, roast suckling pig, brains … and for dessert: pastries and fresh eggs.

Invoice for a boardgame that was made for young Francisco Javier (son of Charles III, who died in 1771 at 14 years of age). The document says: “Said game has 63 numbered spaces in which there are various figures drawn, such as the well, death, the sale …”

Detail of an invoice drawn up by Goya for one of the tapestries he was commissioned, from October 30, 1776. The artist describes the work with as much precision as a cinematographic script: “It portrays a dance on the banks of the Manzanares River, two men and two women who are dancing and two others who are playing music, one of them sings while playing a guitar and another accompanies on the chordophone …” “There is a soldier in conversation with a woman and another who has taken a break from dancing to drink from the river …”

Philip II’s “horders and labels” for court personnel related to his spouse, Anna of Austria. The 1575 document details protocol to be fulfilled regarding the queen, and tells of the duties of each servant. For example, for the chief chambermaid it says: “She must take special charge and care to be with her [the queen] at all hours,” “When the queen goes out on horseback or in her carriage and litter and gets out, neither the chief butler nor the stable boy nor any other person shall arrive to dress her skirts or perform any other duty, but the chief chambermaid.”

The archive also preserves letters that different kinds of people sent to the palace. They present a way of studying the people, problems and social relations of each era.

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Letter from the writer Carmen Conde dated February 18, 1927, in which she asks to be granted a scholarship by Queen Victoria Eugenie to devote herself to literature. Conde explains that, since she has had to work in the shipyards of Cartagena, her place of birth, she has no choice but to devote her evenings to her studies. Conde wound up becoming the first woman to enter the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE).

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Letter of support for Franco from a nine-year-old German boy, Hermann Winand, dated January 30, 1938, on the occasion of the “fifth anniversary of the rise to power of national socialism in Germany.” The little boy writes, “I send my best wishes for a speedy and definitive triumph in Spain over Bolshevism.” He accompanied the missive, written in German, with a photo of himself giving the Nazi salute. The reply, which was sent from Burgos, begins with the salutation “Nice little boy,” and continues: “His Excellency Generalísimo Franco thanks you for your agreeable letter…”

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Letter from the European War Office, which was organized by King Alfonso XIII to collect petitions from relatives of missing European soldiers, who were almost always dead, during the First World War. About 5% of the cases were located, all of them deceased. This one is from a French woman, who asks regarding her husband in a message dated August 2, 1915. In it, she relays the information of where he disappeared and sends a photo from their wedding day in December of 1913. There are more than 180,000 such missives on file. After an investigation, a reply was sent, usually to the Spanish embassy of the missing person’s enemy country. Such letters were mainly from French people, but also from Germans and the British.

Letter from the writer Carmen Conde dated February 18, 1927, in which she asks to be granted a scholarship by Queen Victoria Eugenie to devote herself to literature. Conde explains that, since she has had to work in the shipyards of Cartagena, her place of birth, she has no choice but to devote her evenings to her studies. Conde wound up becoming the first woman to enter the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE).

Letter of support for Franco from a nine-year-old German boy, Hermann Winand, dated January 30, 1938, on the occasion of the “fifth anniversary of the rise to power of national socialism in Germany.” The little boy writes, “I send my best wishes for a speedy and definitive triumph in Spain over Bolshevism.” He accompanied the missive, written in German, with a photo of himself giving the Nazi salute. The reply, which was sent from Burgos, begins with the salutation “Nice little boy,” and continues: “His Excellency Generalísimo Franco thanks you for your agreeable letter…”

Letter from the European War Office, which was organized by King Alfonso XIII to collect petitions from relatives of missing European soldiers, who were almost always dead, during the First World War. About 5% of the cases were located, all of them deceased. This one is from a French woman, who asks regarding her husband in a message dated August 2, 1915. In it, she relays the information of where he disappeared and sends a photo from their wedding day in December of 1913. There are more than 180,000 such missives on file. After an investigation, a reply was sent, usually to the Spanish embassy of the missing person’s enemy country. Such letters were mainly from French people, but also from Germans and the British.

The Royal Palace’s archives began to be digitalized in 1996. Today, there are more than 850,000 digitalized images of its documents. Its photographic section preserves around 65,000 pieces, including four daguerreotypes. More than 80% of the archive, and nearly all of its architectural plans, have been digitized.

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Portrait of Isabella II taken by French photographer Laurent, one of the pioneers of Spanish photography. The portrait was later colorized in 1862.

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First known photos, from 1884, of the Royal Palace’s interior, belonging to the so-called Álbum de David (David’s Album), by a French photographer.

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Daguerreotype of the young Infante Enrique, brother of Francisco de Asís of Bourbon, who was king consort of Isabella II.

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Model of the Royal Palace’s gala dining room table. Each card indicated where a guest should be seated, according to their status.

Portrait of Isabella II taken by French photographer Laurent, one of the pioneers of Spanish photography. The portrait was later colorized in 1862.

First known photos, from 1884, of the Royal Palace’s interior, belonging to the so-called Álbum de David (David’s Album), by a French photographer.

Daguerreotype of the young Infante Enrique, brother of Francisco de Asís of Bourbon, who was king consort of Isabella II.

Model of the Royal Palace’s gala dining room table. Each card indicated where a guest should be seated, according to their status.

The Royal Library

The Royal Library is located on the ground floor of the Royal Palace, in a corner overlooking the Campo del Moro gardens on one side and the Caballerías esplanade on the other. It is made up of 10 rooms, and is directed by Nuria Torres. Initially, it was referred to as the royal private or the library of the bedchamber, the latter due to fact that it was located close to the king and queen’s bedchamber. At the time, it was the royal family’s private library, which had been created by Henry V with 6,000 of his own volumes. The first ruler of the Bourbon dynasty translated books from French, his native language, and was also a writer. In 1711, he also founded the Royal Public Library, the predecessor of the National Library of Spain, which became property of the government in 1836.

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Nuria Torres, director of the Royal Library.

Nuria Torres, director of the Royal Library.

Nowadays, the Royal Library is composed of around 280,000 volumes, including 4,660 manuscripts (from between the 12th and 20th centuries) and 263 incunabulum. The majority of the volumes are from the 18th century and, in addition to their titles, they are distinguished by their varied and rich bindings, and they form one of the best collections in Europe, particularly the books that were made between the 15th and 18th centuries. Around 3,000 of these jewels of the Royal Library’s collection have been digitized, and some 200 works are kept in a vault due to their high value, such as a first edition of Don Quixote from 1605. In addition, there are 17,000 engravings and drawings, 1,119 photograph albums and 7,000 maps.

The books are characterized by their ex libris, markings that proclaim who they belonged to, which are formed by inscriptions or stamps, such as the so-called royal cipher, typically consisting of the ruler’s initial and a number. The Royal Library’s collections are mainly used by researchers and, in addition to Spanish, there are works in a variety of European languages as well as Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew and Persian.

The treasures of the Royal Library stand out due to their binding, which reflects the tastes of different monarchs, as well as general trends. Although Philip created the collection, other rulers with bibliophilic passion have included Charles III and Charles IV, who bought numerous collections; and even the nefarious Ferdinand VII.

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From 1527, we have this recently discovered book by Antonio de Nebrija entitled Ortografia (Spelling). It’s the only copy of the work, a post-incunabulum with almost all the characteristics of incunabula, or books that were created in the early stages of printing in Europe, up until 1501. It is not known who its publisher was, but it is dated: “Finished on the 30th day of the month of August of one thousand five hundred and twenty-seven.”

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Here is a manuscript that describes the Netherlands, translated by King Philip IV himself, who signed it as the “Best monarch in the world.” The volume includes woodcuts, well-done calligraphy and fillets (ornamental lines) that are repeated on all of its pages.

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Facsimile of a manuscript belonging to the Toledo cathedral. This is a rare piece because it is a hand-drawn copy, a facsimile codex. The paper has the same marks of moisture and damage as the original.

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One of the dictionaries of American languages that were commissioned to be delivered to Catherine of Russia, who had come up with an idea for a compendium of all the world’s languages that were known at the time. When they arrived in Spain, Charles III decided not to send them on to her because of their value and beauty. This one is a Breve compendio de nombres, sustantivos y adjetivos [...] de la lengua parigdoto (Brief compendium of names, nouns and adjectives [...] from the Parigdote language).

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Copy from one of seven volumes in an edition of Don Quixote on vellum. Only six editions were made. Vellum is parchment made from unborn or newborn animals, which were prized for their very white skin. The book dates from 1787.

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Library catalogue of the collection of Charles IV (who is portrayed in a pen and ink drawing with his wife, María Luisa de Parma) in 1799. It includes the works in alphabetical order by author, and indicates their locations in library. It was customary for rulers to possess a volume of this kind detailing their catalogue.

From 1527, we have this recently discovered book by Antonio de Nebrija entitled Ortografia (Spelling). It’s the only copy of the work, a post-incunabulum with almost all the characteristics of incunabula, or books that were created in the early stages of printing in Europe, up until 1501. It is not known who its publisher was, but it is dated: “Finished on the 30th day of the month of August of one thousand five hundred and twenty-seven.”

Here is a manuscript that describes the Netherlands, translated by King Philip IV himself, who signed it as the “Best monarch in the world.” The volume includes woodcuts, well-done calligraphy and fillets (ornamental lines) that are repeated on all of its pages.

Facsimile of a manuscript belonging to the Toledo cathedral. This is a rare piece because it is a hand-drawn copy, a facsimile codex. The paper has the same marks of moisture and damage as the original.

One of the dictionaries of American languages that were commissioned to be delivered to Catherine of Russia, who had come up with an idea for a compendium of all the world’s languages that were known at the time. When they arrived in Spain, Charles III decided not to send them on to her because of their value and beauty. This one is a Breve compendio de nombres, sustantivos y adjetivos [...] de la lengua parigdoto (Brief compendium of names, nouns and adjectives [...] from the Parigdote language).

Copy from one of seven volumes in an edition of Don Quixote on vellum. Only six editions were made. Vellum is parchment made from unborn or newborn animals, which were prized for their very white skin. The book dates from 1787.

Library catalogue of the collection of Charles IV (who is portrayed in a pen and ink drawing with his wife, María Luisa de Parma) in 1799. It includes the works in alphabetical order by author, and indicates their locations in library. It was customary for rulers to possess a volume of this kind detailing their catalogue.

The Royal Library also has a rich collection of sheet music that was assembled by Barbara of Portugal, a cultured woman who was wife to Ferdinand VI. Another monarch, Charles IV, bought several collections from private individuals, of which perhaps the most significant was that of the Count of Gondomar, who was Philip III’s ambassador to England. The count’s library was composed of books, manuscripts and a correspondence of some 20,000 letters. Upon the death of Ferdinand VII in September of 1833, the monarchs’ private library was moved to the space it now occupies by order of his widow, María Cristina of Bourbon.

These beautifully bound books have been preserved in very good conditions, in part because their use is quite limited and they are only available to researchers, who can consult them in the salon of musical allegories, so named due to the room’s decoration. There are books about lineages, weapons, nobility, bylaws … In order not to damage the earliest specimens, they are not affixed with a symbol to indicate their placement, but rather are hung a sign that is called a tejuelo (shingle).

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Royal binding of an almanac, whose covering identifies it as property of Elisabeth Franese, acquired after she had been left a widow by Philip V. It is from the 1840s. Heraldic elements are sometimes used to date a binding.

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Detail from a luxurious gilt, chiseled binding for Barbara of Portugal, spouse of Ferdinand VI.

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Curtain binding, which came into vogue in 1816. It was so called because it reproduced the palace’s large velvet curtains. This is a treatise entitled Mecanismo de la imprenta (Mechanism of printing) by Juan José Sigüenza. It was made with bluish paper, another sign of its luxury.

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Binding from the era of Alfonso XII, as indicated on the cover by the capital letter A and the ordinal, in Roman numeral. The copy was made in Vienna, in the so-called Viennese style.

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Binding from the Napoleon III era, which imitates a design that was in vogue during the time of his uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte, with its characteristic motif of bees on its cover. The insects were an ancestral symbol of industriousness.

Royal binding of an almanac, whose covering identifies it as property of Elisabeth Franese, acquired after she had been left a widow by Philip V. It is from the 1840s. Heraldic elements are sometimes used to date a binding.

Detail from a luxurious gilt, chiseled binding for Barbara of Portugal, spouse of Ferdinand VI.

Curtain binding, which came into vogue in 1816. It was so called because it reproduced the palace’s large velvet curtains. This is a treatise entitled Mecanismo de la imprenta (Mechanism of printing) by Juan José Sigüenza. It was made with bluish paper, another sign of its luxury.

Binding from the era of Alfonso XII, as indicated on the cover by the capital letter A and the ordinal, in Roman numeral. The copy was made in Vienna, in the so-called Viennese style.

Binding from the Napoleon III era, which imitates a design that was in vogue during the time of his uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte, with its characteristic motif of bees on its cover. The insects were an ancestral symbol of industriousness.

The scientific cataloguing of the Royal Library’s holdings began during the reign of Alfonso XII. Since then, its main mission has been to conserve its heritage and to build upon it, selectively. This bibliographic catalog has been available online since 2002.

Among the space’s many curiosities, one stands in a corner of the room: a piece of trompe l’oeil furniture. What appear to be the spines of books are actually decoration of a cabinet that contains missals, or liturgical texts. The case is located in the part of the library that enjoys the most shade, all the better to preserve its numerous volumes. The Royal Apothecary also preserves some 1,100 liturgical books.

Finally, there are manuscripts in Indigenous American languages that were collected by priest, botanist and geographer Celestino Mutis on his many expeditions. These were part of an imperial project headed by Catherine the Great of Russia, who planned to collect dictionaries of all the languages of the world. She asked Charles III for grammar and vocabulary books of the American languages. The viceroys were able to commission the volumes, but when they arrived at the Spanish court, Charles III thought better of his own largesse and declined to send them on to Russia, instead incorporating them in the royal chamber library in 1787.

The Royal Library does not only house books, but also other kinds of documents and objects related to important historical figures and events.

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Collection of letters from women that belong to the collection of the Count of Gondomar, who was a bibliophile, diplomat, and ambassador in London for Philip III. In the Royal Library, there are about 20,000 letters from his collection.

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A trompe l’oeil piece of furniture featuring false bindings, in which missals from Madrid’s Encarnación and Descalzas monasteries are stored. The area of the library in which the furniture is located, in a corner of the palace, ensures that it maintains a cool temperature within. Paired with the area’s dryness, this creates ideal conditions for the volumes’ conservation.

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Goldsmithed tureen, containing a book with the signatures of all the mayors of Spain, a wedding gift for Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg.

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Geographic map of South America on parchment, dated from 1618 and made with a horizontal perspective, which was very unusual at the time. The map was made with vivid pigments, and as new territories were still being added at the time of its creation, such as Tierra del Fuego, those areas were added later, as can be shown in the map’s lower right corner. It is the work of Lucas de Quirós, who belonged to a family of navigators, and its recipient was an accountant from the Peruvian court of accounts.

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Aisle running between rooms of the Royal Library.

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Director Nuria Torries walks down one of the aisles between shelves in the Royal Library.

Collection of letters from women that belong to the collection of the Count of Gondomar, who was a bibliophile, diplomat, and ambassador in London for Philip III. In the Royal Library, there are about 20,000 letters from his collection.

A trompe l’oeil piece of furniture featuring false bindings, in which missals from Madrid’s Encarnación and Descalzas monasteries are stored. The area of the library in which the furniture is located, in a corner of the palace, ensures that it maintains a cool temperature within. Paired with the area’s dryness, this creates ideal conditions for the volumes’ conservation.

Goldsmithed tureen, containing a book with the signatures of all the mayors of Spain, a wedding gift for Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg.

Geographic map of South America on parchment, dated from 1618 and made with a horizontal perspective, which was very unusual at the time. The map was made with vivid pigments, and as new territories were still being added at the time of its creation, such as Tierra del Fuego, those areas were added later, as can be shown in the map’s lower right corner. It is the work of Lucas de Quirós, who belonged to a family of navigators, and its recipient was an accountant from the Peruvian court of accounts.

Aisle running between rooms of the Royal Library.

Director Nuria Torries walks down one of the aisles between shelves in the Royal Library.

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