While the King of Spain from 1700 – 1724, Felipe V (Philip V) commissioned architect Fillippo Juvarra to build a royal residence after the Alcázar on this site was destroyed by fire in 1734. In 1764, King Charles III was the first monarch to live in the Palacio Real de Madrid. In 1931, Alfanso XIII was the last king at the Royal Palace before fleeing the country. Since then, the Baroque palace has been reserved for state functions and a daily flow of tourists. Only a portion of the 1.4 million square feet and over 3,400 rooms – Europe’s largest palace – is available to tour.