Two hundred years of the Prado. Google's doodle also celebrates the museum's bicentennial

Today the Museo Nacional del Prado turns two hundred years old: in fact, the famous Madrid museum opened its doors to the public on November 19, 1819. Thus, two centuries have passed since the first visitors had the opportunity to admire 311 paintings from the Royal Collection, all by Spanish artists.

At that time, Ferdinand VII of Bourbon reigned, but the idea of creating a museum site came from his wife Maria Isabella of Braganza, inside theVillanueva building that had been designed at the behest of Charles III to house the natural history museum.

It was possible to access the museum only once a week and only by recommendation; today, however, it is open all but three days of the year.

It was opened as a royal museum and in 1868 became Museo Nacional de Pintura y Escultura, but the Prado is now the heritage of all Spaniards. It brings together nearly 8,000 paintings, 9,000 drawings, 1,000 sculptures and 3,500 pieces of decorative art.

This year, to mark its bicentennial, the Prado Museum was awarded the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities.

Google’s doodle also celebrates its bicentennial today.

For museum info: https: //www.museodelprado.es/

Two hundred years of the Prado. Google's doodle also celebrates the museum's bicentennial

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