The Royal Palace of Madrid was commissioned by King Philip V in 1736 to replace the original residence that had been destroyed by fire. The construction began under architect Filippo Juvarra, who passed away before its completion. His successors, Giambattista Sacchetti and Francesco Sabatini, finished the palace in 1764 after 18 years. This grand structure, spanning 1,450,000 square feet with 3,410 rooms, is the largest living palace in Western Europe, surpassing London’s Buckingham Palace. Despite being the official residence of the Spanish royal family, they have not lived there since 1931; the current royal family resides in the Palace of Zarzuela. The Royal Palace is now used for state functions and ceremonies.