Del Real Palace, Valencia

In Xarq al-Andalus these rural residences of the urban oligarchy, located around the cities, were known as real (from Arabic riyad, garden), which must not be confused with the rafals, which were estates for agrarian production.

Afterwards, Peter the Ceremonious practically rebuilt it as the residence of the Aragonese monarchs almost entirely, incorporating some very partial remains of the old architecture, and broadened the gardens in the 14th century, intending to build a true royal palace.

There were gardens with ponds and exotic plants brought on purpose from America, and a menagerie with lions, bears, deer, pheasants, peacocks and other animals.

Thereupon it underwent major work; the inner and external structure was modified, the Gothic windows that gave it a medieval look were removed, and an arched gallery was added on the main façade.

In 1810, during the Peninsular War, in order to deny the palace to the Napoleonic troops and avoid they using it as a bastion against the city, Valencians themselves decided to demolish it, which was absolutely useless.

In fact, the demolition was due to a combination of factors: a poor military strategy, the economic needs of the Junta de Defensa and the perception by the bourgeois, liberal classes that this old grand palace was the main symbol of the past.

Earlier year 2009, new explorations with ground-penetrating radar were made, preventing the need for a massive excavation and finding new remains that aroused interest in the palace that was the emblem of the city.

Nowadays we know accurately how this architectural ensemble was, thanks to the discovery of the palace plans which, drawn in 1802 by military engineer Manuel Cavallero, which were deposited in the family archive of Marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet, governor of Valencia in the Napoleonic era.