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 El pardo |
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El Pardo, which was once a forest resided by royalties and used as a royal hunting ground, are wooded in places to this day.
This site used to be Franco s chief residence. Today, you can still see the remains of barracks at the town, where majority of the Generalismo staff were once based.
Once considered to have a bad reputation, El Pardo is now a famous excursion choice of Madrid locals.
EL PARDO FACTS
* Location = 9 km Northwest of Madrid
* Nearest Metro Station = Moncloa
* Bus Journey = Paseo de Moret
* Car Travel = Carretera de El Pardo
The tourist focus in the city is the Palacio del Pardo and the Casita del Principe . If you chose to embark on a journey to this progressive town, you should include these two places in your itinerary.
Palacio Real de El Pardo - Royal Palace of El Pardo
The initial palace located in this site, which is a modest castle used for summer retreats, was constructed around 15 th century. However, in 1604, a fire burned the palace down. Fortunately, Felipe III remodeled and renovated the palace.
Although the new palace was influenced by Carlos III, Carlos IV and Fernando VI, it largely reflects the design by Francisco Sabatini .
Included in the palace are original cartoons of Goya and numerous tapestries,
Starting 1939, the Royal Palace of El Pardo was General Franco s residence for more than 30 years when the Civil War concluded. Today, the palace is used to accommodate the state s visitors and as a public museum.
The highlight of the palace is the mummified hand of St. Teresa of Avila .
The palace is open every Mondays to Saturdays from 10:30 am to 1pm and 3:30 pm to 6 pm. During public holidays and Sundays, it is only open from 10 am until 1:40 pm. However, it is not open to tourists when state visitors are lodging in the palace.
The palace charges a reasonably priced admission fee and covers the Prince s Cottage . There is a discount for student guests.
La Casita del Principe - The Prince s Cottage
Location: 500 meters away from the Royal Palace of El Pardo
Built in 1784 by Juan de Villanueva , this structure is beautifully detailed. Originally, the La Casita del Principe was a royal hunting chalet specifically designed for Carlos the fourth who was the crown prince at that time. Unfortunately, the Prince Cottage deteriorated into a very bad condition. Only until it was renovated in 1950 was it publicly opened again.
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