- Address: Plaza de la Provincia, 1 28012 Madrid, España
- Phone: +34 926 336 008
- Beginning of construction: 1620.
- Architects: Cristobal de Aguilera, Juan Gomez Mora, Bartolome Hurtado Garcia, José de Olmo, Jose Villarreal
To what, it would seem, the Spaniards are an interesting people: any more or less attractive building in the center of the city is a bit older than the usual one called the palace, as in the case of the Palacio de Santa Cruz.
A bit of history
Not far from the Major square during the Habsburg era in the modern square The province was commissioned by King Philip IV in the period from 1620 to 1640, an interesting exterior was built. Several famous architects participated in the construction in different years, one of them - the author of the project - the famous Juan Gomez de Mora. The palace is built of granite and red brick. The white stone is finished and the pylons are perimeter. From it, the central portal of the palace with interesting artistic elements is rebuilt. As a result, the new house fits perfectly into the ensemble of the square.
Initially, the new building housed notaries, court rooms and prison. Later, in 1767, it was rebuilt, and the new image of the building was called the Palace of Santa Cruz because of the church of the same name, which was nearby. In translation - the Palace of the Holy Christ. Known prisoners of his were:
- Poet Lope de Vega, who was arrested for slander against his former lover (connoisseurs of the poet's work can also visit the Museum of Lope de Vega in Madrid).
- Political prisoner-foreigner George Barrow, who stayed in the cell for three weeks.
- General Rafael de Riego, who organized an uprising against the monarchy in 1820.
- The Spanish "Robin Hood" is an elusive, cunning bandit Luis Candelas, who, according to legend, did not shed a single drop of blood and helped the poor.
The Spanish Inquisition also held its sentenced victims in this prison, many prisoners were later hung or burned in the Plaza Mayor. By the way, not far from the former prison, nowadays the famous restaurant "Caves of Luis Candelas" was opened (a 5-minute walk from the restaurant is also the market of San Miguel and one of the most popular museums in Madrid - the museum of the jamon ).
In the middle of the XIX century in the building there was a serious fire, as a result of which the palace was almost completely destroyed. And already in the early twentieth century, the Spanish government allocated funds for the restoration of several historical monuments, including the Palace of Santa Cruz was restored in its original image. Later it was restored again after the destruction of the Civil War, and in 1996 it was officially recognized as a historical monument.
Interesting is the runaway of being in time: what was previously a prison for the nobility and foreigners, today is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain - a historical pun.
How to get there?
Visit the Palace of Santa Cruz today can be free to all comers. The nearest metro station Sol (lines L1, L2 and L3), bus stop - Archivo de Indias.
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