The Palacio Real de Madrid, which is also known as the 'Palacio de Oriente', is the royal palace of the Spanish monarch and is used for important state occasions. King Juan Carlos and his family do no actually reside in this palace, but in the Palacio de la Zarzuela. The royal palace was built between 1738 and 1755 and is the largest European castle, featuring nearly 3,000 rooms and a combined area of 135,000 square meters. A part of the impressive building is open to the public, including the Throne Room, and the Gala Dining Room.