Madrid's Royal Palace is famous for being what?

The largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area

Madrid Quiz: Palaces, Plazas and Art Museums of Spain

This Madrid quiz explores the Spanish capital, with questions on Velázquez's Las Meninas at the Prado, the Royal Palace, the twelve grapes of Puerta del Sol, the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, the Crystal Palace in Retiro Park, the Egyptian Temple of Debod, Botín restaurant, Philip II, Madrid's altitude and the Cibeles Fountain. Ten questions.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Art
Which famous painting by Diego Velázquez, showing a young princess and her attendants, hangs in the Prado?
Palaces
Madrid's Royal Palace is famous for being what?
New Year
At midnight on New Year's Eve, crowds at Puerta del Sol eat what with each chime of the clock?
Symbols
Madrid's symbol, a statue in Puerta del Sol, shows a bear reaching up to what?
Parks
Which glass and iron building, built in 1887, stands beside a lake in Retiro Park?
Temples
The Temple of Debod in Madrid is an ancient monument originally from which country?
Restaurants
Botín, in central Madrid, holds the Guinness record for what?
Capitals
Which king made Madrid the permanent seat of the Spanish court in 1561?
Altitude
Madrid, at about 650 meters, holds which record among European Union capitals?
Fountains
Real Madrid fans traditionally celebrate trophies at which fountain?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which famous painting by Diego Velázquez, showing a young princess and her attendants, hangs in the Prado?
Answer: Las Meninas
Velázquez painted himself at work in the picture. The Prado also holds Goya's Third of May 1808 and Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights.
Q2: Madrid's Royal Palace is famous for being what?
Answer: The largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area
It has more than 3,000 rooms. The king uses it for state ceremonies, but the royal family lives at the smaller Zarzuela Palace.
Q3: At midnight on New Year's Eve, crowds at Puerta del Sol eat what with each chime of the clock?
Answer: A grape
Eating twelve grapes is said to bring luck for each month of the coming year. The square's clock is watched on television across Spain.
Q4: Madrid's symbol, a statue in Puerta del Sol, shows a bear reaching up to what?
Answer: A strawberry tree
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree appears on the city's coat of arms. The fruit of the madroño tree looks like strawberries.
Q5: Which glass and iron building, built in 1887, stands beside a lake in Retiro Park?
Answer: The Crystal Palace
It was built to display tropical plants from the Philippines. Today, it hosts art exhibitions, and sunlight fills its glass walls.
Q6: The Temple of Debod in Madrid is an ancient monument originally from which country?
Answer: Egypt
Egypt gave it to Spain in 1968 for helping save monuments from the flooding of the Aswan High Dam. Sunsets behind the temple are a favorite sight.
Q7: Botín, in central Madrid, holds the Guinness record for what?
Answer: The world's oldest restaurant still operating
It opened in 1725 and is famous for roast suckling pig. Writer Ernest Hemingway mentioned it in his novels.
Q8: Which king made Madrid the permanent seat of the Spanish court in 1561?
Answer: Philip II
Before then, the court moved between cities such as Toledo and Valladolid. Madrid's central location helped make it the capital.
Q9: Madrid, at about 650 meters, holds which record among European Union capitals?
Answer: The highest
Its high, inland position gives it hot summers and cold winters. Madrileños often escape to the Guadarrama mountains nearby.
Q10: Real Madrid fans traditionally celebrate trophies at which fountain?
Answer: The Cibeles Fountain
The fountain shows the goddess Cybele on a chariot pulled by lions. Atlético Madrid fans celebrate at the nearby Neptune Fountain.

Madrid Quiz – The Heart of Spain

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, located almost exactly in the center of the country. It is known for world-class art museums, elegant boulevards, royal palaces, lively squares, green parks and a famously late-night lifestyle. More than six million people live in its metropolitan area.

Madrid became the permanent seat of the Spanish court under King Philip II in 1561. Over the centuries, the Habsburg and Bourbon kings built palaces, plazas and churches. The Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and the Puerta del Sol, Spain's kilometer zero, all date from this royal history.

The city's Golden Triangle of Art holds three great museums: the Prado, with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya and El Greco; the Reina Sofía, home to Picasso's Guernica; and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Retiro Park, with its lake and Crystal Palace, is the city's green heart, and the Temple of Debod is an Egyptian temple in a park.

Madrid is famous for food and football. Locals enjoy tapas, bocadillos de calamares, cocido madrileño and chocolate with churros. Botín is the world's oldest restaurant still operating. Real Madrid plays at the Santiago Bernabéu, while Atlético Madrid plays at the Metropolitano.

Madrid's nightlife starts late, with dinner often after 9 p.m. Traditions include eating twelve grapes in Puerta del Sol at New Year.

The city celebrates its patron saint, San Isidro, every May with traditional dress, dancing and food. The Gran Vía, a grand avenue lined with theaters and shops, is sometimes called Spain's Broadway, and the Rastro flea market fills the streets every Sunday.

This quiz covers the history, art, landmarks and traditions of Madrid.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for travelers, art lovers and football fans.

Las Meninas and the Prado
The Royal Palace and Philip II
Puerta del Sol and New Year's grapes
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree
Retiro Park and the Temple of Debod
Botín, Madrid's altitude and the Cibeles Fountain

Quick Facts About Madrid

People from Madrid are nicknamed gatos, meaning cats.
Madrid's metro is one of the largest in Europe.
The Plaza Mayor was once used for bullfights and public trials.
Chocolatería San Ginés has served chocolate and churros since 1894.
The Gran Vía opened in stages from 1910.
Toledo and Segovia are popular day trips from Madrid.