Patrimonio Nacional


Patrimonio Nacional is a Spanish agency, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Presidency, that administers the sites owned by the Spanish State and used by the Monarch 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.
The agency was first created in 1865 during the reign of Isabella II under the name of Crown Heritage. During the reign of her grandson, Alfonso XIII, it was known as Patrimonio Real. The second republic kept the agency under the name of Republic's Heritage and in 1940, dictator Francisco Franco renamed it as Patrimonio National, the current name.
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

The National Heritage is managed by the Board of Directors of the agency which, according to Act 23/1982, is composed by a Chairperson and a Manager appointed by the Monarch, with the advice of the Prime Minister; and thirteen members of renowned reputation, including two city councilors of towns where properties of Patrimonio Nacional are located and two members from museums and cultural institutions of recognized prestige and international projection.

Structure

The agency is structured through a central and a decentralized one:
The central structure is integrated by:
The territorial or decentralized structure is integrated by the Board' delegations in palaces, monasteries and other properties and organizations.