The nobleman who died in the lobby

Did you know a street murder could lead to a very awkward houseguest? In 1605, a nobleman was killed directly in front of the house where Miguel de Cervantes lived. His dying body was taken to the lower floor of the house where he finally expired. The ensuing investigation involved depositions from everyone in the house at the time, offering a look into Cervantes' domestic life.

Cervantes didn't live in a sprawling mansion. His mother lived in one room and the rest of his household lived in another, above a tavern on the ground floor. The records mention the presence of prostitutes associated with the house, though their identities have never been clarified. There were suspicions that some of the women in Cervantes' household may have been among them, as they were the only single adult women living in the building.

When the building was in a poor state at the beginning of the 20th century, it was rescued by among others Archer Milton Huntington. It is now a National Museum of Spain, consisting of three joined houses. You can still explore the rooms that served as a home during the years the Spanish Court was briefly stationed in Valladolid from 1601 to 1606.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons