MADRID Information: REAL
SITIO DE ARANJUEZ |
The choice of Aranjuez as a Spring royal residence par excellence
is largely down to its impressive fertility. The passage of the River
Tajo through Aranjuez has well and truly turned this little village
into a piece of heaven on earth. The abundance of its vegetation and
the poplar groves which flank its streets have won the admiration
of everyone who has ever visited the area. In 2001, the culture and
landscape of Aranjuez won it the title of a world Heritage Site. As
the main site of the Bourbon Court, the origins of the area go back
to a house-cum-palace owned by the Order of Santiago, frequently used
as a royal residence by both Carlos I and, formerly, Spain's 'Catholic
Kings', Ferdinand and Isabella.
During the reign of Felipe II, son to Carlos I, the first major changes
to the landscape took place, with the levelling of the area's surface,
the construction of several avenues, and the building of irrigation
channels. It was also this king who ruled that nobody except members
of the Royal Family and their servants could settle here, a rather
bold declaration which was carried on by the various monarchs who
ruled between Felipe's death and the middle of the 18th century. The
main transformation of the area took place under the reign of Felipe
V. As he had been raised in France, where palatial style was at the
top of the design stakes, Felipe decided to update things a bit, starting
off by refurbishing the Royal Sites of La Granja de San Ildefonso
and Aranjuez.
Fernando VI kept this tradition going when, after a great fire which
destroyed a large part of the palace, he decided to extend and improve
Aranjuez. At the same time, he also decided to go against Felipe II
's initial ruling, and allow other people to settle in the area. In
doing so, he also solved the problem of accommodation for the members
of the Court. The urbanisation of the village, planned by Santiago
Bonavia in 1747, was based around large avenues laid out in a strict
grid of blocks. Subsequent monarchs continued this process of urban
improvement. with Carlos II extending the village to include many
important civil buildings. During the 19th century, (up until 1890
to be precise). the monarchy continued its long-standing tradition
of spending the springtime in Aranjuez. |
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