It is one of the architectural jewels of enormous heritage value in Madrid. Not for nothing is it also known as the "little brother of the Royal Palace". Since it opened its doors to the public two years ago, the queues to enter the
Palacio de Liria
, the private residence of the Casa de Alba in the capital, have been constant (except during confinement). Thousands of people have already been able to verify the artistic and historical treasures that this magnificent 18th century building houses, where the 19th Duke of Alba, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, currently resides, and headquarters of the Casa de Alba Foundation.
In the more than a dozen rooms that can be accessed, located on the first and ground floors of the neoclassical palace, in whose design and construction the Frenchman Louis Guilbert and the Spanish architect Ventura Rodríguez intervened, visitors can appreciate the spectacular private art collection, which includes works by Titian, Louis-Michel van Loo, Goya, Madrazo, Sorolla Rubens ..., as well as bibliographic and documentary jewels, among other treasures.
August is a good month to visit the Palace.
Although tickets (price from 15 euros) can be purchased at the box office, it is recommended to do so online (palaciodeliria.com).
The general visit with an audio guide includes a repertoire of classical music, closely related to the history of the Palace and the Dukes of Alba, as a common thread.
There is also the option of making a private visit to the closed palace.
More information here.
These are some of the treasures you will come across.
Library
library
Located on the ground floor, it occupies a large part of the right side of the main facade of the palace. The spectacular room with original furniture, bookcases and a work table made of walnut at the time of reconstruction (in 1989, the bookcases were painted green), presided over by a portrait signed by Zuloaga, has around 18,000 volumes distributed in three large showcases. Among its jewels are the
Casa de Alba Bible
, made on parchment, handwritten in the Spanish language and produced between 1422 and 1431. It was commissioned by the Master of the Order of Calatrava, Luis de Guzmán, from the Rabbi of Guadalajara Mosé Arragel. The codex, in Alba's house since the 17th century, contains beautiful illustrations.
You can also see the only collection of
autograph letters of Christopher Columbus
in private hands (the
Onboard Notebook from
the voyage of discovery stands out, with the outline of the Island of Hispaniola from 1492);
the last
testament of Fernando El Catolico
or the
first edition of
Don Quixote
de Madrid from 1605
.
Picture of the Duchess painted by Goya
In the bright Goya room (named after the painter's paintings), the large-scale work that the Spanish master made on María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva Álvarez de Toledo, XIII Duchess of Alba, in 1795 stands out. various exhibitions of the painter between 1900 and 1928, including Burlington House, London, and the Prado Museum, in Madrid.
The roman venus
Main staircase.
It is a sculpture from the 1st century that is found on the main staircase of the palace, next to the entrance.
The piece was acquired centuries ago in Italy.
It is among the portraits of some of the members of the House of Alba.
Napoleon III bust
He is at the entrance, next to his wife, Eugenia de Montijo, Cayetana de Alba's great-grandmother.
In white marble.
Tapestry 'The Battle of the Amazons'
The main wall of the Stuart room houses the immense 4x8 meter tapestry
The Battle of the Amazons against the Greeks and the Death of Queen Pantasilea
, by the Flemish artist Pasquier Grenier de Tournai (1447-1493), which reflects the fight of the Amazon Queen from Greek mythology in their fight for Troy.
Paintings of the III Duke
In the Gran Duque room, the portrait of the
Grand Duke of Alba
, Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, III Duke of Alba, a confidant of the Emperor Carlos V stands out. It was painted by Titian at the end of the 16th century.
The Italian made another that was lost, so Rubens made a copy, supposedly the one made by Titian, around 1628. It is also in this room.
The chapel
The small private chapel, designed by Edwin Lutyens and decorated with works by the painter Josep María Sert from the 1930s, can only be seen on private visits to the closed palace.
The ticket allows the exclusive tour from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., before its opening to the public (price 1,200 euros, regardless of the number of people attending it, with a maximum of 10 attendees; more information here).
The small ranch still bears witness to the bonds of the family today.
The gardens
Main facade of the Palacio de Liria.
Also included in the private visit is a walk through the beautiful back gardens of the palace, geometrically shaped in the style of Versailles, dominated by a pond and 18th century sculptures, as well as statues of fantastic animals scattered throughout various areas.
The front garden, in front of the main facade, is in a romantic style, with a great variety of leafy trees.
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