Palacio Real (Royal Palace)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit a royal palace?  Ever thought maybe you too had a European grandmother who would one day tell you that you were a princess? (s/o Princess Diaries fans!)

This week, our students got to visit Palacio Real, or the Royal Palace of Madrid and were transported back in time, to the 9th century to be exact.  This palace was originally built on a Moorish alcázar (fortress), but has undergone changes throughout the years.  Its architecture has influences of baroque and neoclassical design.  It is one of the largest palaces in the world, and is actually the largest palace in Europe (by floor space)!  Students got to visit multiple rooms, and take in all of the beauty and history.

Today, Spain still has a royal family (similiar to England) that takes part in some of the decision making in the country.  Spain's government is a constitutional monarchy, which basically means the royal family makes decisions based off of the constitution, but does not make decisions alone.  The real royal family actually lives in a smaller palace in the suburbs of Madrid, and the royal palace we visited today is primarily used for ceremonial events.