HISTORY

History

Founded in 1721

The Royal Tapestry Factory has more than 300 years’ experience in the restoration of rugs, tapestries, coats of arms.
1713

End of the War of Succession. Spain loses its territories in Flanders.

1721
Felipe V founds the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid, close to the Puerta de Santa Bárbara. The Vandergoten family, a generation of Flemish artisans oversee the management of the works.
1727
The factory adds its first high-wrap looms to increase production capacity and increase the quality of the tapestries.
1775
Francisco de Goya delivers his first series of pasteboards for tapestries.
1882
Alfonso XII authorises the demolition of the first Royal Tapestry Factory building to build a new one on the extension of the city.
1889
The looms are transported to the new factory in Atocha. The Neo Mudejar style building was designed by the Royal Palace's First Architect, José Segundo de Lema.
1982
After a period of difficulties due to competition with the now extinct Gremios Foundation, the factory recovers the status of “Royal Factory”.
1996
The RTF acquires that status of Foundation. The management is assumed by the Board of Trustees, comprised of public administrations and number of individual trustees.
2006
The building is declared a Site of Cultural Interest by the Regional Government of Madrid.
2011
The headquarters of the Royal Tapestry Factory is selected within the Industrial Heritage Plan by the Spanish Institute of Historic Heritage
2018
The Rey Balduino Foundation grants the Royal Tapestry Factory the “Belgian Heritage Overseas Prize” in 2017.
2021
Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain to the Royal Tapestry Factory to mark the occasion of its tercentenary.