Located between the Tagus and Jarama Rivers, this was used as the royal residence at the time of the Catholic Monarchs. Philip II of Spain began construction of the palace using the same architects who designed the Monastery of El Escorial , Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera. The palace's current décor is most influenced by 8th-century contributions, highlights of which include the Porcelain Room and Room of Mirrors. In the rooms on the ground floor you will find the Museum of Palace Life, with unusual items from everyday life in the Royal Residence. A stroll through the garden is highly recommended. It is surrounded by the Tagus River and a canal, which is the largest and most characteristic of the Los Austrias period.