Dehesa de Sotomayor and Casa de la Monta in Aranjuez
Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of Cultural Landscape
The origin of the Dehesa de Sotomayor in Aranjuez dates back to the 15th century, when it was used as a hunting place. In its successive historical stages, converted into an agricultural exploitation, different buildings were built such as La Casa de la Monta, from the 18th century, built to house the Yeguada Real and to accommodate its workers.
The set brings together architectural, environmental and landscape values, with outstanding ecological, botanical and animal interest that has led to its declaration as an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Cultural Landscape category.
Historical evolution
The complex is of considerable interest due to its historical evolution, whose origin dates back to late XNUMXth century as a hunting ground. Carlos I incorporated it into the Crown, forming part of the Heredamiento de Aranjuez first and Real Sitio later, seeking the formation of a forest for recreation, within the Renaissance ideal of taste for the rustic world.
Felipe II gave the definitive shape to the territory of Aranjuez with the planning of the landscape. He included the transformation of the existing paths into tree-lined walks and squares, to communicate the palace with the surrounding territory (groves, orchards), with the consequent construction of an important network of canals to irrigate these lands. Architects such as Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera and gardeners such as Jerónimo de Algora and Holbeque were involved in the works.
In the XNUMXth century, Charles III guided the configuration of Aranjuez as an agricultural exploitation, according to enlightened criteria. With this, the royal stud farm, which had been in Aranjuez since the time of Felipe II, received a great boost, which made it necessary to expand and create new facilities with the construction of the Casa de la Monta, replacing the old stables. .
During the XNUMXth century The pasture, considered one of the best that existed on the banks of the Tagus, continued to be dedicated to horse-breeding.
However, from the second half of the XNUMXth century and the beginning of the XNUMXth century, when the stud farm began to lose importance, a large part of the pasture was dedicated to dryland, irrigated and pasture land, activities that continue to be carried out today. , which also led to modifying the interior layout of the Casa de la Monta, to adapt to the new needs.
Elements that make up the Cultural Landscape
La Dehesa de Sotomayor, located in the Tagus Valley and belonging to the municipality of Aranjuez, it is a natural space of great ecological interest with great botanical biodiversity and a notable presence of protected birds; included in the Natura 2000 Network, a network of biodiversity conservation areas in the European Union, whose purpose is to ensure the survival of the most threatened species and habitats.
It is also part of the so-called Sotos Históricos de Aranjuez, a space that is the product of land use planning (gardens, groves, pastures, orchards), which has evolved from the XNUMXth century to the present, preserving outstanding environmental and architectural values.
Currently, the historic pasture with the limits described above is divided into polygons and plots owned by various owners, most of it from the Community of Madrid, mainly dedicated to agricultural uses. The plots closest to the river are dedicated to irrigated land, riverside trees and pastures, the plots furthest from the river are dedicated to rainfed land, shrubby pastures and some irrigation.
The project and construction of Casa de la Monta is attributed to the French architect Jayme Marquet. He arrived at the Court of King Ferdinand VI around 1752 where he executed his work under the title of Architect of the Royal House. In 1760 he replaced Santiago Bonavía as Director Architect of the Works of Aranjuez.
The set consists of a rectangular structure. The main facade It presents a linteled central doorway, made up of large ashlars. It ends in a semicircular pediment developed at the height of the cornice, inside which two half-length horses are represented in high relief.
The block It is provided with mangers or troughs, made of Colmenar stone, attached along the walls, formed by a large continuous pylon, divided into sections for each horse with wooden partitions finished off with wrought iron grillwork motifs. The Casa de la Monta also included houses for the yegüeros and a room for the infirmary or lazaretto for the horses.
From its origins as a Royal Site for royal leisure and recreation, the presence of horses had a particular role, for the development of which several farms were allocated, the main Sotomayor, but also Villamejor, Campo Flamenco, Legamarejo or Las Infantas. The masters of the Order of Santiago already bred horses, a tradition that continued with Carlos I and was maintained by Felipe II, establishing the royal stud under the authority of the head stableman.
Carlos I began the construction of an irrigation system that supplied water from the Tagus to both banks of the Aranjuez plain. Around 1530-1534 he carried out the construction of a pinch (made with three fingers)called of the Embocador, over an existing one. The dam supplied water to two basic canals, one on each side of the river, the Sotomayor channel that runs along the left bank, and the Azuda channel on the right bank, both started in the time of Carlos I and developed by Felipe II.
Originally, it would be made of wood, later, throughout the XNUMXth century, successive repairs were carried out by prominent architects such as the Vega family and Juan Bautista de Toledo.
About 600 meters from the Embocador dam is the Monta outlet and close to it is the bridge on the canal that leads to the path of the Casa de la Monta, built at the same time as it.
The Sotomayor channel it runs from the Embocador dam along the left bank of the river, irrigating forests, meadows, streets, gardens, orchards along its route, currently with a length of 39 kilometers. It was ordered to be built by Carlos I around 1535, and over the centuries it has undergone successive repairs and modifications.
the street of the birds It forms part of the grid of tree-lined walks that connected the palace area with the exterior groves and orchards. It owes its name to the fact that the place where it is located was dedicated to the breeding of birds called La Pavera, since the time of Felipe II. It consisted of an elm grove where hundreds of free-roaming turkeys were kept and a small house for the manager. Later, the so-called Casa de las Aves was built, currently defunct, which included pens for breeding.
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