Tesoro del Dauphin and the Casón del Buen Retiro
The Prado's basement houses the Tesoro del Dauphin
(Treasure of the Dauphin), a display of part of the collection of
jewels that belonged to the Grand Dauphin Louis, son of Louis XIV
and father of Felipe V, Spain's first Bourbon king. The collection
includes goblets, cups, trays, glasses and other pieces richly
decorated with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, lapis lazuli and other
precious stones.
Just east of the Prado is the Casón del Buen Retiro
(currently undergoing restoration) which used to be a dance hall
for the palace of Felipe IV, but is now devoted to
nineteenth-century Spanish art. It is included in the entrance
ticket to the main museum but, considering the riches which have
gone before, is not of compelling interest.
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