The wide stretch of hills was a royal hunting ground from the 11th
century. At first there was a huntsman's house there, then Enrique
III built a hunting lodge, which was pulled down by Carlos V to make
way for a palace on the same spot. The palace was partly burned down,
and rebuilt by Francisco de Mora on Felipe III's orders. In the reign
of Felipe IV it was a place for hunting and parties, and the Palacete
de la Zarzuela was also built there, which would give its name to
the musical plays (Las Zarzuelas) staged to delight Felipe IV. Felipe
V, the first Bourbon, enlarged it and had a chapel built next to the
palace, and Carlos III later joined them with a bridge. Carlos III
increased the land around El Pardo and built a village in 1764 on
the lands he had bought from the City of Madrid. He had the Casa de
Infantes built, the Casa de Oficios, the stables and the archery,
also the Guards barracks. He also extended the palace by building
an annexe exactly the same as the original, andjoining them by a central
body.
In the 18th century, Carlos IV changed it back to the neo-classical
style. In the 19th century, Fernando VII redecorated the rooms. Alfonso
XII died in El Pardo palace in 1885.
The palace was seriously damaged during the Civil War, and renovated
for the last time in the 1940s. In 1983, it was made into the residence
for visiting heads of state, and is open to the public as a national
heritage museum. On the 6th of November 2003, the Prince of Asturias
formally asked for the hand of Doiia Leticia Ortiz here, and the couple
were officially presented to over 300 journalists from 14 countries.
On the eve of the Royal Wedding, their Majesties, the King and Queen
of Spain will invite family and friends to a dinner as a preliminary
celebration to the event taking place on the 22nd of May, 2004.
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