Carpets

All the kings, without exception, had a large collection of carpets. The archives of the Tapestry Office have a complete record of the work that has been done since the 16th century to conserve and maintain the carpets, removing them and cleaning and dusting them. The importance attached to them by the monarchs explains the protection and support they gave to the carpet factories, especially in the 18th century, when the Crown was their main client.

The Patrimonio Nacional collection has just over 600 carpets made with the knotting technique, in its Turkish and Spanish knot variants, many of them complemented with matching pieces for doors and windows. The oldest specimens date back to the 16th century and are linked to the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. They were made in the factories of Cuenca and Alcaraz. However, most of the collection is dominated by 19th and 20th century carpets, largely coinciding with the reigns of Ferdinand VII (1814-1833) and Isabella II (1833-1868). They were made in the main factories in Madrid established in the 18th century under royal patronage: The Royal Factory of Calle Ancha, the Factory of La Cruz del Espíritu Santo and the Royal Factory of Santa Bárbara. The most extensive sets are those of the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Palace of El Pardo.