Palace of Zarzuela

During the 17th century, King Philip IV of Spain ordered a country palace or hunting lodge to be built in La Zarzuela near Madrid. The name "Zarzuela" is thought to be derived from the word zarzas meaning brambles, as the palace was situated amongst the brambles of the king's hunting grounds. It was a rectangular, slate-roofed building with two lateral arcades. King Charles IV had the building altered to adapt it to 18th-century fashion and adorned it with tapestries and porcelain, as well as furniture and his much-loved clocks. ==Royal residence==

King Juan Carlos I and his wife, Queen Sofía, lived in the palace from their marriage in May 1962 until Juan Carlos' move abroad alone in August 2020, after allegations of financial impropriety, mainly undeclared funds allegedly held in tax havens. Queen Sofía continued to live in Spain. After the death of the dictator Francisco Franco in November 1975, the King decided not to occupy the Royal Palace of El Pardo, leaving it for foreign state guests, designating the Palacio de la Moncloa as the residence of the President of the Spanish Government, while they remained at the Zarzuela. The Palacio Real (Royal Palace) in the centre of Madrid, the former principal residence of the Spanish monarchs, is the official residence of the King, although it is now used only for state occasions. During the summer of 2002, King Felipe VI, then Prince of Asturias, moved into a new residence, a pavilion built within the grounds of the Zarzuela Palace.{{cite news ==Opera==

The palace theatre was the place of origin of the Spanish genre of musical drama, zarzuela. ==References==