Situated in the town of Espinosa de los Monteros, in the province of Burgos, the Palacio de los Cuevas Velasco was constructed in 1623 by Juan Gómez de Mora. The building was initiated by don Pedro de Velasco y Bracamonte, the mayor-domo mayor of the king. The king entrusted don Pedro with the education and custody of his illegitimate son, Don Juan José de Austria, whom don Pedro served as a nurse, and who lived in this palace for some years of his life.
The name of the palace comes from the title of Marqués de las Cuevas de Velasco, which was received by the son of don Pedro de Velasco. The marqueses of las Cuevas de Velasco belong to a second-generation line of the Velasco family, through the lords of la Revilla, who were descendants of a first cousin of the first count of Haro.
The building consists of a residence and an annexed chapel. The construction alternates between masonry and ashlar walls, featuring well-worked architectural elements. The main facade, located on the interior of the enclosure, and the chapel portal are particularly notable. The chapel is dedicated to an apostle whose figure in pilgrim attire appears in a central niche.
The decoration shows a clear influence from the Escorial style, inspired by the architectural elements of the Real Monasterio built between 1563 and 1584. The shields on the wall surrounding the building are the classic shields of the Velasco family, but they are oval and bear the cross of the Order of Santiago, to which its owners belonged.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
Discuss this with the author and others
No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.