The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-28
ROYAL PALACE
A GRAND AFFAIR
SumptuouS Apartments Pre-
pared for the Queen of the
Spanish King.
TREASURES RICH AND RARE
WEDDING DRESS OF THE PRIN-
CESS ENA,


Madrid is doubly interesting just now,
both as the place from which King Al
fonso goes to meet his bride and as the
future home OF the royal couple. The
suite Of apartments designed for the fu-
ture queen have been most lavishly pre-
pared with the richest art t. Treasures from
the galleries Of Spain, But. aside from
this, the palace itself is one of the
largest and most sUmptuous of Europe
II IS ou1lt on the former site of the Al
eazar OF the ancient kings. from plans
6y the italian artist, Giovanni Bettirta
SacChetu. The first stone was laid in
1873, and twenty-six years afterward
Charles III took possession of the edi-
lice and began 1he decoration of the in
tenor The expenditure amounted to 800
cuVvJ reals Immense SubstructUres give
the palace a dominating position on the
Mauzanares river and lend it the ap-
pear nee not only of a palace, but of
a great citadel commanding the city. 1t
covers an eXpanse of p 500 square meters;
90 feet on each side and 80 feet high.
ne MASSIVE structure Is of granite
throughout, except the frsmss OF the
doors and windows, which are of mar
bic
Finest in the World.
The entrance 20 the Royal palace. which
IS conceded to be one of the most mag
ntlcent in the world. has been further
enriched for the present occasion. It IS
u
Eliminated day and night by myriads Of
electric lights concealed within the rich
gOld cOrnlces. with halbediers in their bril-
liant uniforms acting as guards At the
first landing. serving as pillars to the
raIusJrade, there are two enormous lions
OF stone, the work of the sculptors Cas-
tTO and Michel
1t is well known that Napoleon 7 had
a Jealous regard for these lions on the
cay he admired the palace. remsrkinE to
his brother that they were better housed
than he himself in Paris.
Value InestimabIe.
The high vaulted ceiling contains no
table paintings by the Neapolitan artist
Caradc GisquintO- The Sale Ces Ambas-
SadeurS where the imposing reception
Will take place after the wedding is one
OF the most splendid apartments of the
palace with fittings Of incalcula bic value
The walls are hung with crimson velvet
ana gilt ornaments The enormous mir
rorSr which came from the royal factory
OF La GranJa- are surrounded by heavy
gold frames Of the time of Charles ".
While intervening statues of bronze and
marble represent heroes, pagan gods and
aleEOrlcal figures. On each side of the
throne are statues Of Prudence and Jus
Tee, represented as the councillors of
kings.
The royal throne is under a superb red
canopy situated above the steps rightly
cafpeted IN the same color At either
SIDE stand four gilt lions, represented as
controlling the world. The ceiling forms
A brilliant contrast, being clear and Iu-
mlnous- 1t was executed by the famous
Venetian painter FiepOlo. and is said to
be one OF the most finished decorative
works IN the world. The idea deveIODed
IN TINS vast composition is The Glory
OF the Spanish MONARCHY" reDresented /
by a proud matron seated on a throne /
ana ATTENDED by categorical deities The
imagination Of some recent visitors TO /
this gorgeous apartment has led to the /
report that Princess Ena greatly resem-
bges the matron seated on q throne
Noted Painters Employed.
Many Of the salons are decorated with /
rlch embroidered clothes. and the lux
uFlous furniture and ceiling were painted /
by Mangs, BaIyen. Velasquez. Vincento /
Lopez and Juan Rivera.
Princess Ena Is said to take special /
interest in the china hall, sO-caIIed not I
because the royal china is kent there. /
but because the ceiling and walls are
covered with porcelain the Jennings of
which are cleveTly concealed BY figures I
IN polychFome relief Another SumptuOus /
salon is the large dining hall, decorated /
with tapestry woven in gold and silver
by PannemakeT Of Brussels, for PhiIip II 4
BESIDES the foregoing main apartments /
there are many others Of great richness /
Some of them contain famous collections
OF old clocks, others, including the chan
eL contain most interesting relies OF the 4
Christian era.
Ena's Wedding Dress.
The wedding dress Of Princess Ena has
attracted great interest in Spain. as II is I
truly Spanish product i'm fabric and 4
finish, except for the wonderful Rrus-
sells lace which has been bought TO 1
adorn II. 1t was a fancy OF the king 4
and the queen mother that the wedding
dTess should be made in Spain, and the 4
princess gTaciOusly fell in with this pa /
triotic sentiment. The dress is therefore /
one Of the special presents from the king /
and is marvel of elegance The sink 1
was manufactured from a special nat
tern in one OF the large Spanish silk es- I
"a ol1shments- Il was made up with an /
the artistic skill Of the court dressunak- /
eTs- The silk is heavily overlaid with 4
wonderful silver embroidery, with soft 4
frills Of the finest Brussels lace. said 10 4
have cost SO a yard. The laces were /
publicly exhibited before being put on i
the dress and excited the admiration and /
astonishment Of the aTistocratic ladies
of Madrid. Orange blossoms are urofuselv 4
used with the silver embroideries and 4
laces for the corsage. and even in dainty
clusters along the train. which is four
yards long. According 10 Spanish ira
diions, the bride must afterward present 4
this wedding dress to the virgin de "a 4
Paloma, the popular protectress of ma /
ternity.
EHTIBE MnnTIIyHIFOT