La Granja (palace)

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La Granja is a Royal site in Spain that includes a Royal palace, gardens and sculptural fountains. It is located in the town of San Ildefonso (Segovia), 80 km north of Madrid.

[edit] History

Due to their location on the northern side of the Guadarrama mounts, these were favourite hunting grounds for many Castilian kings. In the 15th century, Henry IV of Castile built the first hunting lodge, along with a small shrine dedicated to San Ildefonso (Saint Ildefonsus), which gave this place its first name.

Queen Isabella granted both buildings to the monks of the Parral monastery in Segovia, who built a granja (farm) and an almshouse alongside.

When King Philip V decided to abdicate in 1724, his intention was to retire to La Granja, where for the previous four years he had been building a new palace and gardens based on the Versailles model of his grandfather, Louis XIV of France. Unfortunately Philip's heir, King Louis I, died that same year, and Philip V had to return to the throne.

A place designed for leisure and quiet retreat thus became an important meeting place for the King, his Ministers and the Court. The town of San Ildefonso expanded to provide housing and services to the courtiers who wanted a place near the King's favourite residence. Military barracks, a collegiate church, and even a Royal Crystal factory were built to provide for the Palace.

For the next 200 years, La Granja was the Court's main summer palace, and many royal weddings and burials, state treaties and political events took place within its walls.

Currently this Royal site forms part of Spain's Patrimonio Nacional, which holds, maintains and exploits most of the Crown's lands and palaces.

[edit] The Gardens

Extending over 1,500 acres, the gardens around the palace are one of the best examples of 18th century European garden design. The French designer René Carlier used the natural slope from the mountains to the palace grounds both as an aid for visual perspective and as a source of potential energy to make water shoot out of the 26 artistic fountains that decorate the park.

All of the fountains represent themes from classical mythology, including Greek deities, allegories and scenes from myths. They are built of lead to prevent corrosion, and painted over to simulate bronze, a nobler material.

The original waterworks and piping are still functional. As motor pumps were not available in the 18th century to work the fountains, they rely on gravity to project water up to heights of 40 meters. An artificial lake (El Mar, The Sea) lies secluded at the highest point of the park, and provides water and pressure to the whole system.

Today, only a few fountains are active each day. Twice a year, on the feast days of San Fernando (Saint Ferdinand) and San Luis (Saint Louis), all 26 fountains are set to work, providing a memorable show.

Spanish royal sites
Palaces: Palacio Real de Madrid | Zarzuela | El Escorial | El Pardo | Aranjuez | La Granja | Riofrío | Alcázares de Sevilla | La Almudena
Royal monasteries: Descalzas Reales | La Encarnación | Sta. Clara de Tordesillas | Las Huelgas | Valle de los Caídos
Sanctuaries under royal patronage: Panteón de Hombres Ilustres | San Pascual | Sta. Isabel | Colegio de Doncellas Nobles