Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (ETW building)
| Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando | |
|---|---|
| Category: | Culture |
| Level: | 4 |
| Turns to build: | 8 |
| Building cost: | 10000 |
| |
The Royal Palace is a suitable setting for any monarch with pretensions to rule much of the world.
Originally a Moorish fortress when Madrid was ruled by the Islamic emir of Cordoba, and then a castle under the stewardship of the Christian kings of Castile, the site was not regularly used as a royal residence. The Antiguo Alcázar or Old Castle dated back to the 16th Century, but this burned down on Christmas Eve, 1734.
King Philip V, the first of the Bourbon rulers of Spain, ordered a new palace to be constructed. Perhaps he had it in mind to create a rival to Versailles, the palace of his grandfather, Louis XIV of France. In the event, he died before the construction work was complete and never lived in the New Palace, as it was only in 1764 that Carlos III occupied the building. As a setting for a monarchy, however, the palace had been well worth waiting for! It is vast: with 2800 rooms it is far bigger than any other European palace.
It is still the official residence of the Spanish monarchy, although it is only used for state occasions.
Unique building to: 
This building can only be built in the faction capital.