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I guess we could say that Aranjuez is to Madrid what Versailles is to Paris: back in the 16th century, King Felipe II selected this little town as the new seat of the royal family's country residence. Construction of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez began in 1561 following the design of Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera, the same architects who were to work on the royal palace and monastery of El Escorial. Along with the palace came the royal gardens and the "Jardin del Principe", a large English-style park.
The Royal Palace of Aranjuez is now open to the public. I have to admit that the first few rooms are not very impressive, but keep going because it does get better! As much as possible, the rooms have not been altered since the days when Queen Isabel II lived in the palace (mid-19th century). It is possible to walk through the royal family's private appartments and the royal chapel, and a section of the palace is also dedicated to illustrating the daily life of the royal family. Something I thought was really interesting was the collection of wedding dresses that were worn by the present royal family's daughters and daughters-in-law.
After you're done visiting the palace, it's worth going for a walk around town and perhaps stopping at a restaurant to enjoy the town specialty: strawberries! Of course, one shouldn't leave without walking through the royal gardens, which are open to the public free of charge. The "Jardin del Principe" is very large, but I must admit that I preferred the "Jardin de la Isla" (the one located right next to the palace), with its numerous fountains and french-style gardens and walking paths.
To get to Aranjuez, you can catch a train leaving from Atocha station every 30 minutes, from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the train station to the palace. The palace is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm every day (closed on Mondays). General admission: 5 Euros. Leave a Comment
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King Felipe II's reign in the 16th century was marked by the rise of Protestantism in Europe. In 1559, the king gave Spanish architect Juan Bautista de Toledo the task of creating a "perpetual home for the Catholic Crown of Spain" that would become "an expression in stone of Catholicism in Spain". It resulted in the construction of the magnificient monastery and royal palace of El Escorial, located in the small town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 50 km away from Madrid. The palace is now open to the public, and it makes for a really great day-trip destination.
A visit to the palace includes a tour of the royal family's private chambers, the beautiful basilica and stunning library, with its priceless collection of over 40,000 volumes, as well as the Royal Pantheon where, for the last five centuries, the kings and queens of Spain have been buried. As with all Spanish royal palaces, there is also an impressive collection of paintings on display. There's a small but beautiful garden next to the palace, from where you can enjoy a nice view of El Escorial.
But for the best possible view of the palace and the surrounding village, you need to go to "La Silla de Felipe II" (King Felipe II's chair), located in the beautiful forest of La Herreria (for directions, check out Redang's tips). Legend has it that the king had picked this particular spot to keep an eye on the palace as it was being built. There's indeed a seat carved in stone from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the palace and its natural surroundings - truly worth the little detour!
To get to El Escorial, you can catch a train leaving from Atocha station every 30 minutes, from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the station to the palace. Opening hours are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm every day (closed on Mondays). Admission: 8 Euros. Leave a Comment
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 Cervantes welcomes you to
Toledo! by JefieLeave a Comment
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Just one hour north-west of Madrid by bus or train.
The palace was designed between 1562 and 1584 by Renaissance master-architect Juan de Herrera, on the orders of Felipe II, who died there in 1598.
It includes a basilica, Felipe II's palace, the royal mausoleum, several art collections, a library and a museum Leave a Comment
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Alcal? de Henares university is one of the most important monuments to see, was founded by Cardinal Cisneros, under the reign of Isabelle la Cat?lica.
he main sites to visit in Alcal? de Henares are the old university with its famous renaissance fa?ade and the buildings of the old Colegios Mayores.
Alcal? de Henares can be reached by the Cercan?as trains on lines C2 and C7
Buses leave from Continental Auto.
To get there by car one should take the N-II Leave a Comment
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Toledo is the old capital city of Spain and is about 1 hours drive from Madrid.
The main interest in Toledo is the architecture which is heavily arab influenced and the city is entered by an impressive gate - Puerta de bisagra. The city is very beautiful (similar to Durham in England) and is an interesting and pleasant place to visit.
The main square of Toledo (plaza de zocodover) provides shops and somewhere to get a coffee and in past times was the venue for burning witches.
Toledo has many churches and a impressive cathedral. There is a entrance fee to the cathedral though alternatively if you enter via the chapel instead it is free of charge. There are also two synagogues worth a visit and San Juan de los Reyes church with it's gothic spires is very interesting.
The view from Pasea del transito is also worth a look - the river curves around the outskirts of the town and the old bridge can be seen from here. Leave a Comment
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 San Lorenzo de El Escorial by andal13
(If you want more info, you can check my El Escorial page.)
Otra perspectiva del monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
(Si quieres más información, puedes visitar mi página de El Escorial.) Leave a Comment
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 Palacio Real de Aranjuez by andal13
El Palacio Real de Aranjuez fue un palacio de veraneo construido en el siglo XVII cerca de los ríos Tajo y Jarama. Este magnífico palacio está rodeado de hermosos jardines. Leave a Comment
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 Fuente de Hércules e Hidra by andal13
Estos hermosos jardines que rodean al Palacio Real inspiraron al compositor Joaquín Rodrigo para crear su célebre "Concierto de Aranjuez". Leave a Comment
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 Toledo by barryg23
Toledo was once the capital of Spain and has a good collection of Jewish, Christian and Moorish buildings and monuments. Despite all the visitors it receives, it's always possible to find quiet areas in the old part of the town, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Toledo was home to El Greco for many years and some of his paintings can be seen in churches and museums around the city. Leave a Comment
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