Patrimonio Nacional
The Consejo de Administración del Patrimonio Nacional (Board of Directors of the National Heritage, or National Heritage) is a Spanish state agency, under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Presidency (the support ministry of the Prime Minister's Office or Presidency of the Government) by delegation of the Prime Minister of Spain, that administers the sites owned by the Spanish State and used by the King of Spain and the Spanish Royal Family as residences and for State Ceremonies. The Patrimonio Nacional includes palaces, gardens, monasteries and convents, called the Royal sites. When not in official use, the Royal sites are open to the public. It also manages the residences of the president of the government of Spain.
During the reign of Alfonso XIII, it was known as Patrimonio Real (Royal Heritage).
Patrimonio Nacional organizes temporary exhibitions and concerts in the Royal sites. It also publishes catalogues of the Royal Collections, books on the Royal sites, facsimiles of some of the books held in the library of El Escorial and the Royal Library, visitors guides to the different sites as well as the official photographs of the King of Spain. It also publishes a quarterly magazine, Reales Sitios, about the art collections and cultural history of the Royal sites.
The Royal Family has other palaces but these are not controlled by Patrimonio Nacional.
Royal Places
Royal Palaces
- Royal Palace of Madrid.
- Casita del Príncipe or Casita de Abajo (El Escorial, Madrid)
- Casita del Príncipe (El Pardo) (Madrid)
- Casita del Infante (San Lorenzo de El Escorial).
- Royal Palace of Zarzuela (Madrid)
- Real Sitio o monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid).
- Royal Palace of Aranjuez and his royal gardens and buildings (Aranjuez, Madrid).
- Casa del Labrador (Aranjuez, Madrid).
- Royal Palace of El Pardo (Madrid).
- Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso and all the royal buildings attached. (Segovia).
- Royal Palace of Ríofrio (Segovia).
- Royal Palace of La Almudaina (Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares).
- Residencia Real de La Mareta (Lanzarote, Islas Canarias)
Royal convents and monasteries
- Royal Convent of Las Descalzas Reales (Madrid).
- Monastery of Yuste (Cáceres).
- Royal Monastery of the Incarnation (Madrid).
- Royal Monastery of Santa Isabel (Madrid).
- Royal Convent of Santa Clara (Valladolid).
- Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas (Burgos).
- Royal Convent of San Pascual (Aranjuez, Madrid).
- Colegio de Doncellas Nobles (Toledo).
- Benedictine Abbey of Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos (Madrid).
- Pantheon of Illustrious Men (Madrid)
Residences of the President of the Government
- Presidencial Palace of La Moncloa (Madrid)
- Palace of Las Marismillas (Huelva)
- Coto Nacional de los Quintos de Mora (Toledo)
The Board
The Board of Directors, according to Act 23/1982 is composed by a Chairman and a Manager appointed by the King, with the advice of the Prime Minister; and ten members of renowned reputation, including two City Councilors of towns where properties of Patrimonio Nacional are located (currently the cities of Madrid and Palma).
