Soto Fermoso Palace

The Soto Fermoso Palace was originally built as a Templar fortress, later becoming, around the 12th or 13th century, the Cistercian abbey that gave its name to the village, and finally, the palace of the House of Alba. It belonged to the Ducal House of Alba from the mid-15th century until the early 20th century.

The building, with a square plan, is situated in a place of great beauty. The courtyard is Mudejar, with two floors, and consists of a double gallery of five arches on each side. The lower arches are pointed horseshoe and Mudejar from the 16th century, while the upper ones are escarzano style from the same century, featuring the heraldic shields of the House of Alba in the corners. The rooms are distributed around this courtyard.

The palace's garden was Renaissance and was created by order of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba. It blended architectural and sculptural constructions, paintings, stuccos with various plant species, and water features. Currently, it is very deteriorated, and only some parts of the garden, such as the statue of Andromeda, are preserved.

The palace was formerly a cultural and artistic center of great importance, serving as a literary academy for Italians and Flemish, with artists like Garcilaso de la Vega and Lope de Vega passing through.

Address
Subida Castillo 5, Abadía, Spain

Established
16th century