WELCOME TO THE LIRIA PALACE, DEPOSITORY OF THE DIARY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS WROTE IN HIS VOYAGES TO THE NEW WORLD

“The Landing of Columbus,” Albert Bierstadt, c. 1893

by Chris Collins

The first Duke of Alba, Garcia Alvarez de Toledo, 1424 – 1488, in prayer. His granddaughter Maria de Toledo y Rojas married Diego Colon, son of Christopher Columbus

Palacio de Liria, Madrid: the official residence of the Duke/Duchess of Alba, the biggest private residence in the capital, next only in importance to the Royal Palace a stone’s throw away. It houses the Fundacion Casa de Alba’s art and historical collection, one of the biggest and most important privately owned collections in Spain. There’s Christopher Columbus’ diary in his voyages to the New World, for example. There are Titians, Rembrandts, Rubenses, Goyas, Velazquezes, etc.

It used to be that you had to wait years for the (paid) privilege of visiting the Liria. The waiting list was that long. But now the House of Alba Foundation has decided to convert the Liria into a regular museum, open to the public everyday.

The date of the inaugural opening hasn’t been fixed. They’re working on it. The crystal gazers reckon it will be before summer.

We’ll keep you posted on developments. Check them out on Guidepost.

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Images
Featured image, PD
First Duke of Alba, PD