Royal Palace of Aranjuez

The Royal Palace of Aranjuez (Spanish: Palacio Real de Aranjuez) is a former Spanish royal residence. It is located 50 km south of Madrid in the town of Aranjuez. It was established around the time Philip II of Spain moved the capital from Toledo to Madrid. Aranjuez became one of four seasonal seats of government, occupied during the springtime (from about holy week). Thereafter, the court moved successively to Rascafría, El Escorial and wintered in Madrid. Several international treaties were signed there and several members of the royal family died there, including: 1568 Elizabeth of Valois queen consort of Philip II 1758 Barbara of Portugal queen consort of Ferdinand VI 1766 Elisabeth Farnese the widow of Philip V 1806 Maria Antonia of Naples first wife of Ferdinand VII the Felon 1818 Maria Isabel of Portugal second wife of Ferdinand VII 1828 Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony third wife of Ferdinand VIIIn 1931, during the Second Spanish Republic, the area was declared an Artistic Historical Monument and opened to the public. The palace, gardens and associated buildings are part of the Aranjuez Cultural Landscape, which was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Cultural Organization in 2001. It is open to the public as one of several Spanish royal sites in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Management is entrusted to the Spanish Patrimonio Nacional, which does not allow private photography of its interior for security reasons. However, licenses may be available for specific purposes upon application. The area around Aranjuez enjoys a mild climate, a verdant and varied landscape with excellent game hunting and has long been inhabited.