I remember the glorious walks in my Madrid! And the beautiful architecture and history all around it since living there and visiting for many years, I have written many posts on the city and its streets, this is another post with pics from my cd rom vault and recent visit grouped into one single post. Therefore, here is my take on the Palacio de Liria of Madrid !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Calle de la Princesa, before taking the name that it still in use today , it was called Calle del Duque de Liria, because it was located around the Palacio de Liria, in the old stately estate of Moncloa (Real Sitio de la Moncloa and before Real Sitio de la Florida). An excellent example of the typical 18C neoclassicism, the residence of theCasa de Alba,It is one of the most beautiful palaces in Madrid ! You can immerse yourself in the history of the House of Alba and visit up to 14 rooms of this emblematic building, One of the most important private residences in Madrid. It was built between 1767 and 1785. Current owner is the residence of the 19th Duke of Alba, Don Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, and headquarters of the Casa de Alba Foundation. The Palacio de Liria, has a control admission with tickets for visits, which will be made in groups of up to 20 people, starting every 30 min, and will have an estimated duration of 65 minutes, Once the visit begins, you will not be able to access the Palace. It is essential to be 10 minutes in advance ,You can be purchased by accessing the website of the Casa de Alba Foundation.
You should not miss the Salon de Goya: In addition to Goya’s portraits of the XIII Duchess of Alba and the Marquise de Lazán, as well as those made by Tiziano and Rubens of the Duke of Alba, the collection also includes important canvases signed by Velázquez (Infanta Margarita) , Murillo (Juan de Miranda), Zurbarán (Santo Domingo de Guzmán) or El Greco (Christ on the Cross), among other artists. The Salon Flamenco: Painting, sculpture, tapestries, furniture, prints, documents and books spread over the 14 rooms that make up the visit round out this unique collection, which today exists thanks to the patronage and collecting work of the Dukes of Berwick and Alba for more 500 years .The Salon Estuardo: The battle of the Amazons against the Greeks and death of Queen Pantasilea is one of the most watched tapestries in the route. In this same dependence also rests the bronze bust that Mariano Benlliure made on behalf of Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart. The Biblioteca or Library Its interior has about 18,000 volumes, including bibliographic and documentary jewels of incalculable value.La Biblia de la Casa de Alba or the Bible of the House of Alba: Made in parchment, handwritten in the Castilian language and elaborated between 1422 and 1431, the Bible of the House of Alba is one of the most valuable jewels that welcomes the stay. This piece was commissioned by the master of the Order of Calatrava, Luis de Guzmán, the rabbi of Guadalajara Mosé Arragel. In addition to its importance for language and culture, the codex, in the house of Alba since the 17C, contains beautiful illustrations.
The visit to the Palacio de Liria palace is a sensory experience, different from the set of cultural visits to other palaces and museums. Surrounded by gardens, this 18C palace opened its doors to the public to display the artistic legacy of the Casa de Alba, one of the most traditional dynasties of the Spanish aristocracy. The historical-artistic collection was incorporated thanks to the patronage and collecting work of the Dukes of Berwick and Alba for more than five hundred years. Painting, sculpture, tapestries, furniture, engravings, documents and books, in addition to a wide range of porcelain and decorative arts, are distributed in the different rooms to be admired by their owners and visitors, allowing them to enjoy a unique collection. Of the complete set, great masters of painting such as Goya, Velázquez, Murillo, Zurbarán, Greco, Ribera, Rubens, Titian, Palma the Elder, Brueghel de Velours, Madrazo and Winterhalter stand out. Great personalities from culture, the arts and politics have visited this palace, such as Cole Porter, Arthur Rubinstein, Howard Carter, Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Oscar Wilde, Igor Stravinski, Ortega y Gasset or Charlie Chaplin.
A novelty at the Palacio de Liria. You will be able to admire the only work by the French artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres located inSpain: “Felipe V imposing the Golden Fleece on the Duke of Berwick”. It is a programmatic commission to one of the most important artists of the time, with which the Duke Carlos Miguel wanted to commemorate the most important events and characters in his family: from the Álvarez de Toledo family, with the 3rd Duke Don Fernando, and of Stuart ancestors with the first duke of Berwick. In the Palacio de Liria, it is also preserved with a sketch of the same painting made in 1817. It was a gift that the author himself made in gratitude to Mr. Poublon, attorney for the 14th Duke, who was the intermediary in commissioning the painting. The drawing has an autograph dedication from the artist. It is important to highlight the painting’s own value and its sketch, since it represents a fundamental moment in the history of the Casa de Alba, when the Marshal of Berwick, ancestor of the current duke, is awarded the Gold Fleece decoration and receives the duchies of Liria and Jérica, where the name of the palace comes from. Indeed gorgeous architecture and history.
The official Palacio de Liria : https://www.palaciodeliria.com/en
The Fundacion Casa de Alba (go visits for tickets) : https://www.fundacioncasadealba.com/en
The Madrid tourist office on the Palacio de Liria: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/liria-palace
There you go folks, my Madrid! Sublime walks, and beautiful architecture and history all around you in Madrid. I like the neighborhood where the palace and lately my entry point into Madrid by car. Again, hope you have enjoy this post on the Palacio de Liria of Madrid !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 