Palace of the Dukes of Alba(15th-16th Century)
Gothic-Renaissance building that appears as a defensive fortress and combines military power with aristocratic domination.
The Gothic-Renaissance Palace of the Dukes of Alba (Palacio de los Duques de Alba) is composed as a fortress that combines military elements—such as the defensive walls, towers and embrasures—with the aristocratic features—such as halls, gardens and colonnades. It was strategically erected on the southeast corner of the walled enclosure to take advantage of the defence offered by the old Roman City Walls. The exact date of the beginning of its construction is undetermined, however, the works on this noble establishment had certainly begun towards the late 15th century under Martín Caballero, the master builder of the Dukes’ Residence.
It preserves a beautiful Gothic courtyard inside which is composed of two corridors with Gothic columns and an extraordinary spiral staircase that enhances the private area. Outside the walls, a portico with semi-circular arches, laid down on recessed Tuscan pillars leads to the Renaissance garden that is protected by a tall watchtower and a defensive masonry and brick wall from the mid- 17th century. It gives on to the soothing sound of the Alagón River through a magnificent Renaissance Ionic belvedere from the mid-16th century.