The Archiepiscopal Palace of Alcalá de Henares

The Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares is a historic palace located in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Dating back to 1209, it was originally commissioned by Archbishop Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada as a Mudéjar fortress to serve as a temporary residence for the archbishops of Toledo. The building is part of a monumental set declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it currently serves as the seat of the Bishopric of Alcalá de Henares.

In 1308, the palace hosted the meeting of kings Ferdinand IV of Castile and James II of Aragon, who signed the Treaty of Alcalá de Henares to distribute territories obtained from al-Andalusian Taifas during the Reconquista. The palace also played a significant role in the administration of justice; in 1348, it hosted the Courts where the Ordenamiento de Alcalá was enacted, unifying the administration of justice for the lands of the Crown of Castile.

The building complex has suffered through centuries of fires and reconstruction. In 1939, a devastating fire during the Spanish Civil War destroyed two-thirds of the building, including the Central General Archive which had been housed there since 1858. Today, the palace features a Renaissance main façade and a parade courtyard with a cast iron grille from 19th-century Belgium. The complex currently has 16 towers, notably the Tower of Tenorio, and offers access to an Antiquarium where visitors can see partially recreated historical galleries.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons