Royal Palace of Aranjuez

The Royal Palace of Aranjuez (Spanish: Palacio Real de Aranjuez) is one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family. It is located 50 km south of Madrid in the town of Aranjuez, Spain. Established around the time Philip II of Spain moved the capital from Toledo to Madrid. Aranjuez became one of four seasonal seats of government,

In 1700, the first Bourbon king of Spain, Philip V, decided to resume the work, intending to make Aranjuez a rival to the grand palace of Versailles. Subsequently, this imposing style would be applied to the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso. Philip V added a new north tower, completed the west façade and defined the structure that would shape the current palace. In the palace was almost destroyed by fire in 1748. After the Bourbon Restoration, Alfonso XII designated the Royal Palace of Aranjuez to be the residence of the noble household of the Duke of Montpensier. His bride to be was the daughter of that family, Mercedes of Orléans. In 1878 the bride and her entourage arrived for the ceremony from Madrid at an imposing but temporary railway station constructed near the Grand Plaza de Armas (western) entrance to the Palace of Aranjuez.