Palacio de Liria
The Dukes and Duchesses of Alba, a flamboyant dynasty with links to Columbus, the Medicis, and Scottish royals, have had a stride-on role in Spanish history for more than 500 years. This neoclassical pile is their Madrid residence, one of the largest private palaces in Spain, and it continues to turn heads. It was commissioned in 1767 by the Duke of Liria and built by Ventura Rodríguez, the leading architect of 18th-century Madrid. During the Spanish Civil War, it was all but destroyed by fire, then restored according to plans by Lutyens, the great British architect. Happily, the family’s vast art collection survived. It includes works by Velázquez, Zurbarán, and El Greco, as well as Titian’s portrait of the bellicose 3rd duke and Goya’s famous painting of the 13th duchess in white. The current duke, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart and his son Fernando have been instrumental in opening their aristocratic home to the public with programs in which striking contemporary art installations stand cheek by jowl with old masters. The hefty ticket price helps pay for its upkeep.
The Dukes and Duchesses of Alba, a flamboyant dynasty with links to Columbus, the Medicis, and Scottish royals, have had a stride-on role in Spanish history for more than 500 years. This neoclassical pile is their Madrid residence, one of the largest private palaces in Spain, and it continues to turn heads. It was commissioned in 1767 by the Duke of Liria and built by Ventura Rodríguez, the leading architect of 18th-century Madrid. During the Spanish Civil War, it was all but destroyed by fire, then restored according to plans by Lutyens, the great British architect. Happily, the family’s vast art collection survived. It includes works by Velázquez, Zurbarán, and El Greco, as well as Titian’s portrait of the bellicose 3rd duke and Goya’s famous painting of the 13th duchess in white. The current duke, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart and his son Fernando have been instrumental in opening their aristocratic home to the public with programs in which striking contemporary art installations stand cheek by jowl with old masters. The hefty ticket price helps pay for its upkeep.
Details
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
