15 Palaces to Discover in Avila

Avila is a beautifully historic city and a UNESCO World Heritage site with perfectly preserved medieval city walls, which are typical of the city’s predominant Romanesque architecture. If you live in Madrid or you are visiting the capital, it is a must-see since it is only one hour away by car or train. A great way to learn about Ávila’s history and to explore the city is by visiting its Gothic and Renaissance palaces.

In the late 15th century and throughout the 16th century the city of Ávila enjoyed its golden age of social and economic splendour, reflected in the evolution of its civil architecture, with many splendid fortresses and palaces built in various styles ranging from Late Gothic to the Renaissance, requiring the restoration or demolition of the ancient medieval houses.

Most of them are located within the city walls, following their layout and forming a second line of defence. They are attached to the walls or built to form squares around the city gates.

Guided tours of the palaces are run by the tourist office on Saturday, which includes viewing the interior of the Palace of Los Verdugo, Polentinos, Los Guzmanes, Superunda and Nuñez Vela.

Palacio del Rey Niño de Ávila

Palacio Del Rey Nino De Avila — CC BY-SA 2.0 / Richard Mortel

The Palacio del Rey Niño de Ávila or Episcopal Palace is a Romanesque building that was built in masonry and ashlar, renewed with brick at the corners. It is rectangular and has two floors; attached to the wall and with three façades. The lower floor is a vaulted lounge with continuous barrel; in the upper, two capitals are preserved.

It is currently a post office.

Los Velada Palace

Los Velada Palace is a renaissance palace located in Ávila, Spain. The Palace was built in the first half of the 16th century and has a splendid Mudejar coffering and a magnificent voussoired door. It is located next to the old Episcopal Palace, right in the historic heart of the city.

Palacio de Valderrábanos

The Palacio de Valderrábanos is a 14th Century Palace located in the Plaza de la Catedral of Ávila, Spain. It is also known as the house of Gonzalo Dávila.

Palacio de los Dávila

Avila, Palacio Davila — CC BY-SA 4.0 / Palickap

Fortress equipped with battlements, imposing dovelas, strong matacanes and a beautiful Renaissance window. The construction follows the model of the wall, constituting an intramural fortification. It is an example of a fortified medieval palace. The matacanes and merlones of the northern facade show the defensive character of the palace. In the courtyard and interior areas there are vestiges of Mudejar architecture.

Palacio de los Guzmanes

Torreon De Los Guzmanes Avila — CC BY-SA 3.0 / Rowanwindwhistler

Better known in Ávila as the Torreón de los Guzmanes. It was built around 1513. Its facade is made of granite masonry without much decoration. Keep a Mudejar coffered ceiling. Stresses its Renaissance quadrangular tower. The porticoed central courtyard is a double gallery with Tuscan Doric columns. It is currently the seat of the Provincial Council and was declared a National Monument in 1983.

Palacio de Los Superunda

It was built between 1580 and 1595. Its first builder and owner was the alderman Ochoa Aguirre, later inheriting the counts of Superunda, from which he received his name. It has a beautiful, lintered patio. Its Italianizing aspect is one of the main characteristics of this palatial house. After a while, it was bought by the painter Guido Caprotti in 1930. Upon his death, the heirs sold it to the Avila City Council, which restores it and opens it to the public.

Palacio de Los Almarza

It is the current convent of the Congregation of the Servants of Mary. In its architecture elements of Islamic tradition are shown. It is built in the 16th century with granite masonry. The cover is of Renaissance style and on its sides there are noble coats of arms. It is a National Monument since 1992.

Palacio de Núñez Vela

It is attached to the wall and was built in the mid-16th century in the Spanish Renaissance. Its adintelado patio is of great simplicity with a magnificent staircase. The upper gallery has an elegant balustrade. It is currently the seat of the Provincial Court.

Palace of Polentinos

Avila, Palacio De Polentinos — CC BY-SA 4.0 / Palickap

Located on Vallespín street. Renaissance style, its facade contains plateresque motifs and shows a great decorative wealth. The palace is structured around a central quadrangular courtyard surrounded by galleries. In the room of tributes there is a beautiful coffered ceiling with wooden beams on lobed brackets. It is currently the headquarters of the Army Military Archive.

Palacio de Benavites

Now a state-run tourist Hotel. It is made of granite and on top there is a square tower with embrasures. From the gardens a stone staircase leads up to the parapet walk and the embrasures on the Arco del Carmen.

Palacio de Bracamonte

Patio Del Palacio De Diego De Bracamonte, Avila — CC BY-SA 4.0 / José Luis Filpo Cabana

Its construction dates from 1510. Townhouse to the northern canvas of the wall. Its ornamentation is of great interest with shields of the main lineages of Abu. Its patio, with four arcaded galleries, is one of the largest in the city. It is currently occupied by the Culture Services of the Junta de Castilla y León and was declared a National Monument in 1978.

Palacio de los Águila

Palacio De Los Aguila Avila — CC BY-SA 3.0 / Outisnn

It is Renaissance style with a cover adintelada with terraced columns, topped with flames. On the cover opens a balcony, framed by columns and flames. It was donated to the city by the Marquise of Valencia. It is planned to host an annex of the Prado Museum. In 1969 it was declared a National Monument.

Palacio de los Verdugo

This Palace dates from 1531. Its facade is made of stone; It belongs to the Plateresque style, with two wide towers on each side. Its central courtyard is of great interest with noble shields of different Abulean lineages. To the left of the main facade is a Vetonic zoomorphic sculpture. It was declared a National Monument in 1976. It is currently the seat of the Municipal Archive.

Palacio de los Serranos

It was built in the mid-16th century and its style is framed in the Renaissance. The basis of its construction is that of granite ashlar. It has three heights, anomalous aspect in the city. Inside it highlights the adintelado patio, of which only two bays remain. Today it has been destined to a cultural center where hundreds of people from Puebla go.

Casa de Los Deanes

Casa Deanes Avila — GNU 1.2 / David Perez

Town hall built in the 16th century. It is of Renaissance style. It has two heights with a quadrangular plan and its porticoed patio distributes the space. Its brick arches are supported on granite columns. Its Italian gallery is topped with plateresque cresting with semicircular medallions.