Palacio de Altamira - Seville

The Palacio de Altamira was built at the end of the 14th century by Don Diego López de Stúñiga, the mayor of the Kingdom, and was restored to house the headquarters of the Department of Culture of the Regional Government of Andalusia.

His goal was to erect a Mudejar palatial building modeled on the Real Alcázar in an area known as Puerta de la Judería and, since 1576, as Puerta de la Carne. Previously this area was inhabited by a group of wealthy Jews, but at the end of the 14th century the population attacked the Jewish quarter, looting and burning houses and synagogues.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, this mansion was linked to the lineage of the Stúñiga (or Zúñigas), the Counts of Plasencia, the Dukes of Béjar, the Marquises of Villamanrique and Ayamonte and finally the Counts of Altamira , after whom the palace is mentioned. From the second half of the 19th century it was no longer linked to the Altamira family, although the title was retained and it became a rental house.

The palace is a series of several buildings , with two architectural cores: the Royal Palace and the Tegel Palace. Notable features include the Qubba or Royal Chamber, where a collection of medieval woodwork is kept, and the Ducal Apartments, with their remarkable murals. Also worth a visit is the Huerta del Palacio, where pieces taken out of context are on display.

Willem Vandenameele