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This article throws light upon the two main gardens of catholic monarch’s in Spain. The gardens are: 1. Royal Palace of La Granja 2. San Ildefonso.
Garden # 1. Royal Palace of La Granja:
This palace was built in 18th century in the small town of san Ildefonso in the hills near Segovia, 80 km north of Madrid central Spain. The palace is in restrained baroque style surrounded by extensive gardens in the French manner with sculptured fountains. It is now open to public as a museum.
This is located on the forested northern slope which was the favourite site for hunting by Castilian kings. Henry IV of Castile built the first hunting lodge and along with small shrine dedicated to San Ildefonso. Isabella 1 of Castile granted both buildings to the monks of Parral monastery in Segovia who built a Granja (farm) and an aim house alongside.
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The site was purchased from the monk in 1719 by Philip V. who built palace and gardens on the pattern of Versailles. The palace has a Courd’ honneur on the approaching side and formal gardens with a main axis centered on the palace. La Granja began as retreat from the court and become a center of royal government. For the next 200 years La Granja was the courts of main palace where many royal weddings, burials, and political events took place.
Now it is a popular tourist attraction and museum with a collection of paintings and Flemish Tapestries. The garden spreads over 600 ha, around the palace and is the best example of 18th century European garden. The French designer Rene Carlier used the natural slope from the mountains to the palace grounds both as an aid for visual perspective and a majestic look of 26 sculptural fountains decorated parks.
All of the fountains represent the themes from classical mythology including Greek deities, and scenes from myths. The important fountains are: ‘Bath of Diana’ and ‘Fountain of Neptuno’. Rene Fremin was famous sculptor who made several sculptures of fame. The sculptures are cast in lead to prevent corrosion and painted over bronze or lacquered over white oxidized lead to imitate marble.
An artificial lake, El Mar (the sea) lies secluded at the highest point of the park and serve as a reservoir and provide water with pressure for fountains purely on gravity to eject water upto the forty meter high. Now-a-day, only a few fountains are active each day. Twice a year on the feast day of San Fernando and San Louis, all 26 fountains are set to play, providing a memorable show.
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The gardens have been planted in formal design with trimmed edges and hedges in different shapes and flowers have been planted in between to make a picturesque effect. On the back, lofty trees have been planted like giant sequoias (Sequoiandendrongiganteum), sweet chestnut, (Castanea sativa).
Most important for the development of the art of gardening was the steady consolidation of the crown of Spain into an absolute monarchy. Philip II continued the policy of his father, Charles V, and consequently great garden could only appear as adjuncts to the royal residences and gardens served more and more as stage for its entertainment. This was chief function of Spanish garden of Buen Retiro and thus theatrical garden was born.
It was the creation of the famous Count Duke Olivarez, the powerful minister of Philip IV. It was designed for immediate pleasure rather than future fame. The garden out shone the palace. The principal designer was Cosimo Lotti, a Florentine who had been employed at the Boboli gardens in Florence. There has been a covered walk with an open colonnade (cloister) one side running along the walls of building that face a quadrangle.
Garden # 2. San Ildefonso:
The last of the great Spanish gardens is San Ildefonso at La Granja. It was built by the grandson of Louis as an echo of Versailles to the design of Boutlet. Its setting 4,000 ft. up among mountains is immeasurably superior to that of Versailles and it enjoys sufficient natural water. However, La Granja lacks the great breath of design and sense of scale. The cascade is fussy; the vistas are dwarfed by proximity of the mountains.
