La Granja de San Ildefonso

Map of the Granja

Method of Transportation: Inter-Segovia Bus
Transportation Time: Approximately 20 Minutes
Hours:
    Palace:
          April - September Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
          October - March Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
     Gardens:
          November - February Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
          March Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
          April Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
          May - June 15 Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
          June 16 - August Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
          September Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
          October Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Cost:

     Transportation: $6.30/€4.58
     Entrance Fee:
          Palace:
             General: $12.38/€9.00
             Reduced: $5.50/€4.00
          Gardens:
             General: $6.19/€4.50
             Reduced: $3.44/€2.50
     Total Cost:
          General: $24.87/€18.08
          Reduced: $15.24/€11.08

A former royal residence, the Granja de San Ildefonso is one of the many significant landmarks Spain. It is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains in the providence of Segovia[1]. Before becoming the Granja de San Ildefonso, the area was first used by King Henry IV in the 15^th century[2]. It was later given to the Hieronymite monks of El Parral by Queen Isabella I where it was used as a “granja” or farm[3]. Modeled after the court of Versailles by King Philip V, the Granja de San Ildefonso, or simply the Granja, is a unique and impressive complex[4].

Royal Palace

One of the most notable buildings in the Granja is the royal palace. It was built by King Philip V in the 18^th century, who was the first Bourbon monarch of Spain and from France[5]. The palace was used as a summer residence up until the rein of Alfonso XIII and combines French and Spanish baroque style architecture[6]. Due to a fire, the first rooms that were destroyed beyond repair were converted into a tapestry museum; since the Granja was used as a summer palace, the tapestries are not original to the Granja as tapestries were meant to keep in warmth[7]. Spain has one of the oldest and largest tapestry collections in Europe, some dating back to the late 15^th and early 16^th centuries, and the tapestry museum is home to many of these unique tapestries. The palace additionally contains 18^th century paintings and the remains of Philip V and his second wife in the adjoining church[8].

View from the Gardens

Apart from the royal palace, the Granja has many other places to visit. One of these places is the gardens. The gardens surround the royal palace and were created by Philip V in the French style of Versailles, containing twenty-six fountains[9]. The Granja, in addition, contains the Granja Royal Glass Factory. Created in the 18^th century, it now contains exhibitions over the art of glass-making[10].

One of Twenty-Six Fountains

The Granja de San Ildefonso is one of the unique complexes to visit in the Segovia providence. From the palace to the gardens to the glass factory, the Granja has a wide variety of things to see. Helping to preserve its history, the Granja is an important part of the area.

Works Cited

“GARDENS AT LA GRANJA DE SAN ILDEFONSO,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/jardines-historicos/segovia/la_granja_de_san_ildefonso.html (accessed 27 March 2014).

“LA GRANJA DE SAN ILDEFONSO ROYAL PALACE,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/segovia/palacio_real_de_la_granja_de_san_ildefonso.html (accessed 27 March 2014).

“SAN ILDEFONSO AND LA GRANJA,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/san_ildefonso_o_la_granja.html (accessed 27 March 2014).

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[1] “SAN ILDEFONSO AND LA GRANJA,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/san_ildefonso_o_la_granja.html (accessed 27 March 2014).

[2] “LA GRANJA DE SAN ILDEFONSO ROYAL PALACE,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/segovia/palacio_real_de_la_granja_de_san_ildefonso.html (accessed 27 March 2014).

[3] Ibid.

[4] “SAN ILDEFONSO AND LA GRANJA,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014.

[5] “LA GRANJA DE SAN ILDEFONSO ROYAL PALACE,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014.

[6] “SAN ILDEFONSO AND LA GRANJA,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] “GARDENS AT LA GRANJA DE SAN ILDEFONSO,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014, http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/jardines-historicos/segovia/la_granja_de_san_ildefonso.html (accessed 27 March 2014).

[10] “SAN ILDEFONSO AND LA GRANJA,” Spain.info. Sociedad Estatal para la Gestión de la Innovación y las Tecnologías Turísticas, 2014.