Palacio de Liria
Palace of the Casa de Alba in Madrid, open to visitors since 2019, with a collection of painting, documents and decorative arts spanning five centuries.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The palace was promoted by Jacobo Francisco Fitz-James Stuart, 3rd Duke of Liria and Berwick, on Calle de la Princesa, near the Conde-Duque barracks. Louis Guilbert began the works and was dismissed in 1771; Ventura Rodríguez completed them, and construction concluded in 1785. After the death of the Duchess of Alba in 1802, the Alba title was united with that of Liria, and the palace became the family's main residence in Madrid.
In November 1936 a bombing caused a fire that destroyed much of the interior, although the most valuable works had been removed earlier. The reconstruction, between 1948 and 1956, was promoted by the Duchess Cayetana with her first husband, based on plans by Edwin Lutyens, and the palace was reinaugurated on 13 June 1956. It was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (protected heritage site) in 1974 and opened to visits in 2019.
The Fundación Casa de Alba manages the palace. Its collection brings together painting, sculpture and decorative arts gathered over five hundred years by the Dukes of Berwick and Alba, with works by Goya, Velázquez, Rubens and Murillo, and documents such as manuscripts by Christopher Columbus and the Alba Bible.
Highlights
- “La duquesa de Alba con vestido blanco” by Goya
- Portrait of the Infanta Margarita, traditionally attributed to Velázquez
- Works by Rubens and Murillo
- Manuscripts by Christopher Columbus and the Alba Bible
- Free visit with audio guide or guided tour in Spanish
Permanent exhibition
- Visita al Palacio de Liria – Tour of the palace's salons with the painting, sculpture and decorative arts collection assembled by the Casa de Alba, as a self-guided visit with audio guide or a guided tour.
- Founded
- 2019
- Operated by
- Fundación Casa de Alba
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €20 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €15With a valid, up-to-date official accreditation (the website does not specify which groups qualify). |
| Children & teens | –Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Groups | –Groups, associations and schools: visitas@palaciodeliria.com; groups can only buy online. |
| Guided visit in Spanish | €38General admission. |
Free admission: One free session on non-public-holiday Mondays at 10:00 (maximum 2 tickets per person; online only; sales for the following Monday's session open each Monday at 12:00).
According to the city of Madrid's tourism portal, general admission costs €22 on Saturdays and Sundays. Until 31 January 2027 the visit includes the temporary exhibition “Cayetana, Grande de España”. Tickets are sold online only and capacity is limited.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Accessibility is partial: tickets for the palace alone are adapted for wheelchair users, but those for the temporary exhibition are not. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are admitted with prior authorisation.
Kids & families
Under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Plaza de España
Metro: Plaza de España (lines 2, 3 and 10) and Ventura Rodríguez (line 3). Cercanías: Príncipe Pío. Buses: 001, 002, 1, 2, 44, 74, 133, 138, C1, C2, NC1, NC2 and N21. BiciMAD: Calle de Ventura Rodríguez, 3; Calle del Conde Duque, 22; Plaza de España, 16.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
Free cloakroom with code lockers in the shop area (30 × 42 × 50 cm; suitcases do not fit); the shop is accessible only with a palace ticket. Pushchairs are left in the designated area.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (ES, EN, FR, PT) |
| Photography | Photography of the interior is not permitted; you may only photograph or film in the outdoor garden once the visit is over. |
| Good to know | The self-guided visit includes an audio guide (also downloadable to your own device). There are private visits outside opening hours with the palace closed to the public (visitas@palaciodeliria.com). Bags pass through security checks, and sharp or large objects are not admitted. |
