The Palacio de la Magdalena (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

for Magdalena Palace) is a palace in Santander (

Cantabria Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Its construction was financed by popular subscription and given to the Spanish Royal Family for use as a summer residence. It was built by architects Javier González Riancho and Gonzalo Bringas Vega between 1909 and 1911. The palace is located at the Magdalena Peninsula in the place where the old Fort of San Salvador de Hano was, which protected the entrance to the bay. Since 1932, it hosts the summer courses of the

Menéndez Pelayo International University Menéndez Pelayo International University ("UIMP" in Spanish) is a public university with administrative headquarters in Madrid and campuses in Santander, Valencia, Barcelona, Cartagena, Cuenca, Granada, La Línea de la Concepción, Seville and ...

. In 1977, the City Council of Santander bought back the palace and the peninsula.

History

Construction of the palace was initiated in 1908 by the local government of Santander for the purpose of providing a seasonal residence for the royal family of Spain. Funding was provided via popular subscription of the local populace. The design and construction of the palace were overseen by

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

s Javier González de Riancho and Gonzalo Bringas Vega, with construction completed in 1912. King

Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...

and his family first arrived at the Palacio de la Magdalena on August 4, 1913, and returned annually to summer at the palace through 1930. The royal family used the palace as a base for numerous recreational and sporting activities, and the king sometimes also held government meetings at the property. The annual trips ended with the proclamation of the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of King Alfonso XIII, and was dissolved on 1 ...

in 1931. Beginning in 1932, the palace was used to host summer courses through the

. In 1977, the Count of Barcelona sold the palace and the peninsula back to the city of Santander for 150 million pesetas. The palace was declared an historical monument in 1982 and renovated between 1993 and 1995. It is the most visited place in the city of Santander and continues to be used as a conference and meeting hall to the present day.

Design

The building has an eclectic style, combining

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, French, and regional architectural styles. It has two points of entry, a north entrance with a

Porte-cochère A porte-cochère (; , late 17th century, literally 'coach gateway'; plural: porte-cochères, portes-cochères) is a doorway to a building or courtyard, "often very grand," through which vehicles can enter from the street or a covered porch-like ...

for carriages, and a second entrance to the south which was designed as the main entrance. The building is covered with stone masonry slate. The highlight of the interior is the reception rooms, which hold paintings of interest by artists such as Luis Benedito, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, and Fernando Alvarez Sotomayor. The stables were designed by Javier González de Riancho. They emulate a medieval English village with sharp roofs of steep slopes and wooden tiles. After summer courses were started, the stables were converted to student

dormitories A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm) is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people such as boarding school, high school, college or university s ...

. The palace is also used in external shots for the Spanish TV series '' Gran Hotel''.

External links

Palacio de la Magdalena Official Web Site
featuring photographs, maps, and virtual tours (English and Spanish)

References

{{Authority control Magdalena Buildings and structures in Santander, Spain Tourist attractions in Cantabria Government buildings completed in 1911 Eclectic architecture Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in Cantabria Royal residences in Spain