Royal Palace of Aranjuez
The Palacio Real de Aranjuez (Spanish for " Royal Palace of Aranjuez " ) is a castle in the same city in Spain, about 50 kilometers south of Madrid.
History
The castle was built on the remains of a monastery, the site was acquired by the King of Spain in the 16th century. Due to the attractive location on a bend of the River Tagus the summer residence of the royal family was built here in the following centuries, which was based in large annual parade actions. The palace can look back on a long architectural history, during which he was repeatedly extended and remodeled.
Philip II gave the first construction contract in 1560 to Juan Bautista de Toledo, the further execution was taken over by Juan de Herrera, who has also stood by the King in the construction of the Monastery of El Escorial. Upon completion of construction, it was at the castle to a four-winged Renaissance building around a courtyard, minor and major changes were made in the following years, always made. Philip V had the castle rebuilt in the 18th century to a large baroque residence and re-decorate, and the castle park was at this time his present appearance. Under Charles III. two more wings were added finally to 1778, which gave its present shape the palace and jointly created a courtyard, in front of which the oval castle is situated.
The castle boasts a lavish interior, as highlights are the porcelain room, the throne room and the chapel, also the parade rooms and private quarters of the royal family are preserved in the castle. Since the palace in parts houses a museum, it is open to visitors and is the center of the aligned him city.
The gardens of the palace
The Palace of Aranjuez is famous for its park. The water is flowing directly through the palace over the Tagus, the dominant design element. The baroque park is preserved in its fundamentals and divided into different regions, the prince garden is located directly on the banks of the river, the island garden on an artificial island. The park is decorated with dozens of fountains, statues and flower beds, a small Chinese pavilion to serve the needs for the exotic.
In the park you will also find the Casa del Labrador, a three-wing neo-classical pleasure palace, which was built until 1803 for Charles IV. The castle now houses a large collection of porcelain and antique clocks.
Find out more
The Palace of Aranjuez with its gardens and the city is on the list of UNESCO world heritage. The famous opening scene of Schiller's Don Carlos is playing. The palace complex inspired in 1939 to the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo to compose his Concierto de Aranjuez.