Description of the attraction
The Royal Chapel of San Antoneo de la Florida is located in Madrid, on the right bank of the Manzanares River, in Glorieta Square. The chapel is a fine example of neoclassical architecture. It was built in the 18th century by order of King Carlos IV, who purchased the nearby La Florida Palace and wished to have a church next to his new property. The construction of the church, designed by the architect Philippe Fontane, lasted from 1792 to 1798. The Chapel of San Antoneo de la Florida is unique in that it was painted by the outstanding Spanish painter Francisco Goya. The royal couple, who commissioned the painter to paint the church, gave him complete freedom, and due to the fact that the church belonged to the royal court, the work of Goya was not controlled by the clergy and the Academy of Arts. The artist created his frescoes within six months. The main theme chosen by the artist for the paintings was the Miracle of St. Antonio of Padua.
In 1905, the Chapel of San Antoneo de la Florida was declared a National Monument. In 1919, the remains of Goya were transported here. To preserve the greatest work of art - the Goya frescoes - the chapel was turned into a museum, and the same church was erected nearby in 1928 for the parishioners.
Every year on Saint Antonio Memorial Day, June 13, the chapel becomes a place of pilgrimage for many single women, each of whom comes here to ask Saint Antonio to help her find her other half.
