Ventura Rodríguez Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ventura Rodríguez
Ventura Rodríguez by Francisco Goya
Born	14 July 1717 Ciempozuelos, Madrid
Died	26 September 1785(1785-09-26) (aged 68) Madrid
Occupation	Architect

Buildings	Palace of Infante don Luis (Boadilla del Monte), Pamplona Cathedral, Liria Palace

Ventura Rodríguez Tizón (born July 14, 1717 – died September 26, 1785) was a very important Spanish architect and artist. He was born in Ciempozuelos, a town near Madrid. His father was a bricklayer, and Ventura learned a lot about building from him. In 1727, when he was just ten years old, he started helping his father work on the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. This early start helped him become one of Spain's most famous architects.

Ventura Rodríguez: His Amazing Buildings
Images for kids
See also

Ventura Rodríguez: His Amazing Buildings

Ventura Rodríguez designed many buildings throughout his life. He was very busy and created a lot of impressive structures.

Early Career and Key Projects

Between 1749 and 1753, Ventura built the beautiful Church of San Marcos in Madrid. In 1752, he became the director of architectural studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. This meant he was in charge of teaching architecture to new students.

Designing the Basilica del Pilar

In 1750, Ventura was asked to finish and redesign the Basilica del Pilar in Zaragoza. This was a big job! Earlier plans for the basilica had not worked out, so Ventura had to make sure his design fit well with the river nearby and other buildings.

Special Altars and Church Decorations

Ventura also worked on the cathedral in Cuenca. Here, he built a special altar area called a Transparente. This was a unique design with a glass roof that let light shine down. He also decorated the inside of the church at the Royal Monastery of la Encarnación in Madrid between 1755 and 1767.

Later Works and Influence

At one point, Ventura Rodríguez was very influential. However, the Spanish kings, Fernando VI and Carlos III, started to prefer architects from other countries, like France and Italy.

Overseeing Building Projects

Even so, Ventura still played a big role in many building projects. In 1766, he got a job similar to a building commissioner for the Council of Castile. This meant that many new buildings or renovations needed his approval. He often checked and changed the designs to make them better.

He helped design many important places, including:

The Convent of the Philippine Augustines in Valladolid.
The college of surgery in Barcelona (built in 1761), which is now a medical academy.
The town hall of Haro (built in 1769).
Plans for a new National Library and a glass factory at La Granja.

Designing Palaces and Public Buildings

Ventura Rodríguez also helped design several grand palaces:

The Palacio de Liria (1770).
The Palacio de Altamira (1773–1775), which is now a design institute.
The Palace of Infante Don Luis.
The Palacio de Almanzora in Almería.
A palace at Arenas de San Pedro, where he also built a Royal Chapel.

He also helped redesign the city hall in Betanzos.

Chief Architect of Madrid

In 1764, Ventura Rodríguez was named the Chief Architect of the City Council of Madrid. This was a very important position.

Other Notable Contributions

His other works include:

Parts of the main square in Ávila.
The General Hospital in Madrid.
The front of the cathedral in Toledo.
The Sagrario (a special chapel) of the Cathedral of Jaén (1761–1764).
The main altar for the Cathedral of Zamora (1765–1776). This new altar replaced one that was damaged by a big earthquake in Lisbon in 1755.
The San Nicasio chapel in Leganés (1772–1780).
Baths at Caldas (1773) and a sanatorium at Trillo (1775).
The jail at Brihuega and the church at Larravezna.

He also designed the front of the cathedral of Pamplona in a style called Neoclassic. He worked on the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, changing much of its older Romanesque style.

Unfinished Projects and Legacy

Ventura Rodríguez was not able to finish all his important projects. Some were completed by other architects:

The Puerta de Alcalá (finished by Francesco Sabatini in 1764).
The Basilica of San Francisco el Grande in Madrid (also finished by Sabatini in 1768).
The redesign of the main square Puerta del Sol in Madrid and the building next to it, the Real Casa de Correos (both finished by Jaime Marquet between 1760 and 1768).

The church of La Encarnación (1785) in Santa Fe (Granada) was finished by his student, Domingo Loys de Monteagudo. Sadly, one of his churches, the Convento de San Norberto, no longer exists. It was torn down by Joseph Bonaparte, who wanted to create more open spaces in Madrid. Interestingly, two of Ventura's own students refused to destroy the church.

Ventura Rodríguez passed away in Madrid in 1785. Today, a station on Line 3 of the Madrid Metro subway system is named Ventura Rodríguez in his honor.

Images for kids

Holy chapel of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, built in 1750.
Principal facade of the Convent of the Philippine Augustines in Valladolid.
Palace of Infante Don Luis in Boadilla del Monte (Madrid)