Napoleon's brother Joseph, (José I of Spain), ordered the opening up of the square opposite the Royal Palace in the early nineteenth century, to establish a safe area in view of public unrest. The result was a wide, elegant space, dominated by the perfume and beauty of its gardens, and the great equestrian statue of Felipe IV. Galileo Galilei had a hand in the execution of this monument, the face of which was based on portraits of the king by Velazquez. The great artist from Seville had his house on the outskirts of the square where other important monuments are now located, including the Teatro Real and the Monasterio de la Encarnacion.