What a large Palace! You can actually tell how large it is because it stands alone in its own large garden. The scale is huge but what is to be expected with a palace; clean, crisp lines, expensive and smooth materials to display the classical ornamentation. We approached on an axis, on a long walkway through part of the garden to an archway. Once through it, it is clear that the same style on the exterior façade is carried through with the colonnade towards the larger gardens at the end of the axis. The main entrance is about 2/3 of the way down on the right up some wide and shallow steps under a oval dome. When the palace was used by the king there would be musicians playing in the niches above hidden from view to emphasize the grand entrance. He wanted to make a big impact with all kinds of art greeting you as you ascend to the main floor. At the top of the stairs is the main entrance in a rotunda type of space with a unique dome. Coffered ceiling focus inward but with a slight slant giving a swirl effect. The king and queen apartment winds were on the left and right. Straight ahead is the chapel. Colorful, artistic, classical, formal, detailed all the way up to the altar and ceilings. Room after room amazed me with the level of detail and art in and on everything with in the rooms. There are statues, paintings, chandeliers, rich fabrics, expensive materials and different colors and patterns in every room. In one word elegant. Furniture caught my attention in every room first. I would have loved to have been the furniture designer for this palace because each room had its own style, colors, and forms which took up the majority of my pictures. Next were paintings and sculpture, they have always been a fascination of mine and the artists have had my respect. It is not easy and not everyone has the talent. Some of the rooms used by the Queen used fabric on the walls instead of wallpaper, plaster or paint. I could have spent a week living there studying it and not gotten bored, there is too much to see and interpret. This palace was a good change from all the ruins and the rustic buildings we have seen. So far this has been my favorite. I will have to come back later in the spring when it is not raining to see the extensive garden with fountains and amazing views. Looking back at it as we drove away it brought to mind some of my favorite books by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and even more so in the rain Sense and Sensibility.
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