Every walk around Aranjuez ends up here. A huge open square facing the palace, ringed by arcades that tie together buildings from different periods: service houses by Juan de Herrera and Gómez de Mora, the Casa de Infantes and, presiding over it all, the church of San Antonio.
The Royal Church of San Antonio
Ferdinand VI wanted a royal chapel on the south side of the square and gave the job to Santiago Bonavía, who finished it around 1752. Its curved plan, with an arched portico and a lantern on top, is the town’s best-known image after the palace. Antonio Joli painted it in 1754, with the square full of carriages.
The Mariblanca fountain
In the middle of the square stands the fountain everyone calls Venus or the Mariblanca. Its story is tangled: first there was a statue of Ferdinand VI, which Charles III had removed in 1760; the female figure was installed in March 1762 and the whole monument was later rebuilt. It nearly always has water, especially at weekends.
A place to sit
The arcades have terraces all year round. This is the spot for a coffee between the palace and the old town, and to watch the town go by.
What few people tell you
- The statue on the fountain isn't Venus, whatever people call it: the 1761 contract was for a figure of Hera. Everyone knows her as the Mariblanca.
- Before this fountain there was a statue of Ferdinand VI by Juan Domingo Olivieri, which Charles III had removed in 1760.
- The best light to photograph the church is in the afternoon, when the sun hits it head-on.
Questions people ask
Who built the church of San Antonio in Aranjuez?
Sources and official links
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