Palacio de la Magdalena

Palace in Santander

The Palacio de la Magdalena or Magdalena Palace, is a palace located on the Magdalena Peninsula of the city of Santander, Cantabria, Spain. It is located in the place where the old Fort of San Salvador de Hano was, which protected the entrance to the bay. Built by the architects Javier González Riancho and Gonzalo Bringas Vega the building has an eclectic style, combining English and French architectural styles.

History of the Palacio de la Magdalena

The Palacio de la Magdalena was built between 1909 and 1911, as a seasonal residence for the Spanish Royal Family.

Touring the Palacio de la Magdalena

The best way to see the 20th-century palace is on a detailed 45-minute guided tours (in Spanish). The Palacio de La Magdalena contains numerous fine paintings by Spanish painters. The reception rooms stand out with their oak floors, bronze chandeliers, surprisingly simple bedrooms, a carved chestnut-wood staircase and what was the king’s study.

The stables, which are now student dormitories, were designed in the style of a medieval English village with sharp roofs of steep slopes and wooden tiles.

Visits are limited to weekends only in summer, when the palace hosts the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (www.uimp.es), a global get-together for specialists in all sorts of disciplines.

The Palacio de la Magdalena appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Santander!

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