Villaviciosa de Odon is a quiet town located in the middle basin of the river Guadarrama, only 20 kilometers from Madrid, although the traveler the distance seems greater than having to move from the capital for two high-traffic roads, the A-5 Extremadura and the M-506 ring to the municipalities of San Martín Vega, Pinto, Fuenlabrada, Mostoles and Villaviciosa de Odon.
Once, leaving the right, the M-506, you agree to the urban, ugly industrial and commercial environment is behind and the landscape around the town becomes flowery and pleasant, marked by hills and troughs on the blue and white lend the mountains of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Not in vain the population receives, from the twelfth century the name of Villaviciosa, in the sense of " abundant, provided, delightful " due to the lengthy nature in all types of vegetation and waters surrounding the town.
The most practical recommendation that can be done stranger, curious, approaching a holiday in this beautiful town, is the first thing that comes to City Hall in the Plaza of the Constitution. Serving with great kindness, that public officials say, and may provide an interesting free " Tourism Guide" 1, well illustrated, which is all that is possible to know about the town and even a proposed tour that you can start there.
Before we begin our route, following the wise instructions of this guide, you should know something about the history of Villaviciosa.
History
Its origins, of course, unknown. It seems that "time of the Moors" was a town called " Calatalifa " that is "Caliph's Castle." During the Reconquista the place would be occupied by Christians from the north and in the twelfth century and appears already named Villaviciosa, ownership and jurisdiction of the Church of Toledo (1118) and, later, the City Council of Segovia (1161 .)
In the fifteenth century, the population reappears as Villaviciosa de Odon, by reference to a fortress built there (in 1496) the Marquis de Moya, Andrés Cabrera and Beatriz de Bobadilla, whom the Catholic Monarchs for their loyalty and many services delivered, as lords of Chinchón, this and other populations , segregating the jurisdiction of Segovia. Odo, according to Covarrubias, " Hebrew name and is worth the blonde, the red " though the visitor read other etymologies are derived from the Basque place name Ote-not (gorse), from Arabic wadi (river), the Celtic uta and even derived from a St. Odo, Cluniac monk.
In " relations of the peoples of Spain " of Philip II (1575) and made reference to "commonly called Villaviciosa Odon " stressing its economic and administrative.
early eighteenth century, the name of Villaviciosa appears already in official documents, including alternate names, or Villaviciosa Odon as the decree of Philip V that makes the area Bosque Real.
In 1720, the X count of selling the estate to Chinchón Infante Don Felipe, the son of Philip V, which in turn sold it in 1761 to his brother, the Infante Don Luis.
It could be the Infante Don Luis 2 who commissioned the painter, illustrator and designer Italian Battaglioli Francisco (1725-1796) a series of tables with views of the town, five in total, one of which is preserved in the Fundación Casa Ducal de Medinaceli in Toledo and the rest in the Vanderbilt Museum in New York .
The rest of the history of this county, we will tell you as we get to visit their two landmark buildings, the house of Godoy and especially the castle.
On the history of Villaviciosa de Odon, Pedro Rodriguez Vaquero 3 and 4 Antonio Pardo have written books undeniably interesting, we could not see, but his reading is possible in the " Literary Corner for Villaviciosa de Odon in Infante Cafe, located at Casa Palacio de Godoy .
Tour
intend to start our brief tour of the Villa with a visit to the Casa Palacio de Godoy. Earlier in the intersection of Church Street with Gonzalo Calamita left behind a beautiful nineteenth-century source, the name "Limestone Source."
La Casa Palacio de Godoy, on the streets of Arroyo, whose facade combines the "sobriety English" with " elegance of the architectural styles of the Habsburg " (Herrera and Baroque) "as responsible for highlighting the guides, has an interesting history. Having passed through the hands of various owners (Marquis of Villacastel Carrie Murillo Counts and Counts of Belvedere) was acquired in 1800 by Manuel Godoy and his wife, Mary Teresa de Borbon y Villabragima, Countess of Chinchón, daughter of the Infante Don Luis de Borbón and Maria Luisa de Villabriga and Rozas. After the mansion was inhabited by the only daughter of these, Luisa Carlota de Godoy y Borbón, Countess of Chinchón Italian married to Prince Camillo Ruspoli. In the nineteenth century was the subject of various leases. In 1986, was acquired by the city and restored in 1995. It now houses a coffee and there are held lectures, concerts, talks and exhibitions.
While reviewing these notes I can only devote a thought to the figure of Manuel Godoy, a historical, In my opinion, more vilified than it deserved. It is curious that, at least until recently 5, there was not any city or village of Spain, or even a street, let alone a monument dedicated to his memory. Both would be hated. However, I believe that had traits of good leader and was a strong supporter of Sciences and Arts. Napoleon himself described as " man of genius." Much hurt his reputation leading private life, the " favors, never confirmed, that Queen Maria Luisa dispensed and made public display of her lovers, including the famous Pepita Tudo they had four children. Recently, his voluminous memoirs were published in which it tries to justify 6. I think Manuel Godoy was a despot, but at least an enlightened despot.
Unfortunately this morning the mansion is closed, so I can do little to admire and photograph your home, you have the shield removed from the gate and make a photograph of the beginning of the gardens, considered one of the most interesting of the Community of Madrid .
Before beginning the ascent to the castle and the square of the church, we see an "Italian source" that is said, comes from the San Telmo Palace in Seville, which was acquired by the municipality in 1997 .
We walked up the street Lopez Puigcerver to the castle and while doing so, we remember and said his story is that of the town itself .
Apparently there was a castle, built by the Marquis de Moya (later Earls of Chinchón), back in the fourteenth century. It was a medieval fortress walls thick and sturdy very suitable for defense. However, during the war Communities (1521) this first stronghold was devastated completely, so that the third Earl of Chinchón, Diego Fernandez de Cabrera y Bobadilla ordered, in 1590, its restoration to transform the old fortress into a castle residential palace. Tradition has it that in this restoration spoke the famous architect Juan de Herrera, but in reality there is no record of it, may be other architects, perhaps Francisco de Mora and Bartolomé de Elorriaga 7.
The title of Earl of Chinchón was sold in 1738 by its president, Juan Jorge Sforza and Conti, Count X Chinchón, Don Felipe de Borbón and Farnese, son of Felipe V and his second wife, Elizabeth Farnese ambitious. It seems that the funds for the purchase were provided by the king father.
A year later (1739) takes place on a large project to remodel the castle with the intervention of the Italian architect, disciple of Juvara, Giovani Bautista Sacchetti, who could not be fully realized, especially in the outside.
From the castle in the purchase by Philip V to his son, Prince Felipe, that was turned into a hunting lodge for the use and enjoyment of the Royal Family, who, a few leagues Madrid could have a real "chateau " French style, with stables, home offices, all framed in a large garden and wooded landscape (Royal Forest of Villaviciosa, current Testerales and The Prado Redondo).
With his son and successor, Ferdinand VI, the castle Odon 'definitely falls into the story. The new monarch, brief and peaceful reign, ennobles the town awarded the title of Royal Site and fixing his name forever as Villaviciosa de Odon.
The saddest episode in the history of the castle is linked to death within the walls of this monarch, the second king of the Bourbon dynasty, born in Spain (the first was his brother Louis I).
Things went well. Dead his wife Queen Barbara of Braganza, as a result of cancer of the uterus, the widowed king decided to retire, perhaps on the advice of the Duke of Alba, in this castle "delighted" close but once away from the Court. The early days of the king's stay in the castle, accompanied by his brother the Infante Don Luis and a small entourage, seemed calm but soon began to appear in King symptoms of mental confusion: "The king is lunatic, devil ... enemy to pray, irritable and disgusting, "wrote the minister Richard Wall on one of his dispatches addressed to the future King Charles III 8.
intractable With the King, stuck on a cot, lack of cleanliness, not wanting to talk to anyone, deteriorating more every day, with the government and administration of the United paralyzed amid a delicate international situation (Seven Years War), Fernando's death was expected and desired solution. Finally, this occurred on August 10, 1759, a year after of his wife. The cause of death of the unfortunate monarch was a manic depressive neurosis caused him irreparable physical and mental deterioration. Both husbands who got along well during their marriage, lie next to each other in the church of Santa Barbara in Madrid in two magnificent mausoleum for his brother sent to Carlos III.
The subsequent history of the castle is much less intense and can be summarized in a few lines .
In 1761, the Infante Luis Antonio de Borbón y Farnese purchase to his brother Philip, Duke of Parma, County Chinchón with its castle. This lived the Infante Don Luis and his wife, Maria Tersa Villabriga, medium banished from the Court. At his death the county and the castle passed to his daughter Maria Teresa, married to Godoy, as we have noted. Manuel Godoy was himself jailed there in 1808, after the Mutiny of Aranjuez and before his exile to France.
During the second half of the nineteenth century, from 1847 to 1869, the castle hosted the first Special School of Engineers created by Decree 1846, then moved to El Escorial.
Between 1884 and 1886, the castle was leased to the Royal College of Orphans Carabinieri, later transferred to El Escorial.
it seems that was used as a barn and farmhouse .
During the civil war, the castle was a command post and quartering of troops which caused serious damage to its structure .
In 1996 the Ministry of Defense bought the castle to its owners, the descendants of the Counts of Chinchón. At that time, as can be seen in old photographs, the castle was just a skeleton in which only remained in his foot thick walls, silent witnesses to so much history. The Ministry restored the ruins and installed in it, since 1972, the Air Historical Archive, which unfortunately can only be accessed by the public, one day a month, precisely on Thursday of last week, after 11 hours. In the Air Historical Archives interesting documents are saved as part of flight or layout of airfields, major documents of the twentieth century military flights, part of operations and missions of the Civil War, personal files and even private files of flyers (total seven thousand linear feet of documents, 4,000 films and over 2,000 negatives).
we recap its history arrived outside his front door. On one side leave the Source of the Sewers, attributed to Ventura Rodriguez, who has the distinction of providing two equal sides, on both sides of the brick wall which is recessed. We surrounded the fortress on the Paseo de Don Bernardo dela Torre and Rojas, the first director of the School of Forestry whose 150 th anniversary commemorates a bronze relief, at the beginning of this trip. To the right of way, in a broad spectrum, extending the vegetation and tree cover of " The Forest", a true botanical garden that we must be content to admire from afar without daring to introduce for its pleasant walks and trails. It is a pity that lack prevent us from time to enjoy this luxury of nature, one of the most fascinating greenery of the Community of Madrid 9.
Outlining the castle, we arrived at the gateway to the Historic Garden, designed by modern recreation Sacchetti, due to the architect Julio Cano Lasso. At its center, following the driveway is a large fountain with a stone sculpture of Leda and the Swan, by Juan de Avalos (1999).
The castle we can see from here, as that in other respects, has the disadvantage of distance, which obscures the details. Its plan is square, sturdy masonry, with cylindrical bodies on three sides and a tribute in the fourth tower. Inside we can not access, not to be the last Thursday of the month, but as a friendly neighbor tells us "the most beautiful is your patio [Herrera style] and the well stone in its center ." We believe .
Finishing and ride and visit to the village we got to the park of the Castle "or ducks," where you can get, perhaps, the best pictures of the castle palace. It is a quiet place where the only "troublemakers" seem to the members of the colony of wading birds of various sizes and colors of plumage, and apparently, a bit jealous of their territory and prevent this nice poster aimed at, I think , improbable visitors who flock to the park accompanied by their own copies, " Please do not introduce new ducks. The established colony could not accept or deposited species to be inconsistent with resident ducks. Thanks for your help . "
And in terms of ducks, as in many other things in life, "there are still classes."
© Manuel Martínez Bargueño
April, 2011
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NOTES
2. Elsewhere I read that the request was made to the painter by the Marquis de Villacastel, Joaquin Olivares de la Moneda, tutor of the infant.
3. Pedro Rodríguez Vaquero " approach to the history of Villaviciosa de Odon ." Madrid, 1994.
4. Antonio Pardo " Brief History Odon '." Opinion Circle Cultural Association, 1998.
5. Today Manuel Godoy y Alvarez de Faria has, at least, dedicated a street in Badajoz home and not last if it was designed to make the monument in 2007.
6. "Memorias de Godoy . And editing preliminary study by Enrique Ruspoli ." The Sphere Books 2008. Another edition of the University of Alicante in the same year, 2008, with introductory study of Emilio La Parra.
7. See of the commemorative booklet (1759-2009) Fernando VI in the castle of Villaviciosa de Odon with good text and interesting photographs http://www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es/
8 . José Luis Gómez Urdañez " Fernando VI " The Bourbons. Arlanza editions 2001, pg. 131.
9. In the Municipality of Villaviciosa de Odon provide a guide map of "The Forest : information access, roads, flora and fauna can be found there.
