The Royal Palace of Aranjuez, a Spanish royal residence, hides a secret history. Located in the town of Aranjuez, it was established in the 16th century as a royal hunting lodge, built by order of Philip II. The palace sits on the Star-shaped Glade, a relic from the time when it was an exclusive hunting reserve of the Order of Santiago, which had exclusive hunting rights along the River Tagus, created in the 12th century. The Order's grandmaster, Lorenzo I Suárez de Figueroz, directed the construction of a grand hunting lodge here, designed for the recreation of members of the order and their royal and noble patrons.
Charles I of Spain took possession of the area in 1523, which was designated Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez (Royal Woods and House of Aranjuez). Philip II later designated a portion of land to the north of the river Tagus for pottager and general agriculture in 1561. The Royal Palace of Aranjuez has been a witness to momentous events in history, including the death of several members of the royal family. Today, it houses a museum on the ground floor, open to the public, along with the royal rooms and gardens.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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