In 1719, the Ayete farmhouse which existed here at the time was used as the headquarters of the Duke of Berwick during the Carlist wars. Curiously, it was also part of the Santiago pilgrim route in those days.
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In 1719, the Ayete farmhouse which existed here at the time was used as the headquarters of the Duke of Berwick during the Carlist wars. Curiously, it was also part of the Santiago pilgrim route in those days.
That farmhouse lasted for 159 years until the estate was bought by the Dukes of Bailen in 1878, who knocked it down and built the neoclassical palace in its place. With more than 74 thousand square metres of gardens, this "shack" was the residence of the Spanish royal family: Isabel II, Alfonso XII, Maria Cristina and Alfonso XIII, until the construction of the Miramar Palace in 1893. Shortly after this, the Duchess of Bailen would give the estate to her friend Queen Maria Cristina.
Many years later, in 1940, the estate was bought by the city council for the equivalent of 5,100 euros and offered to the dictator Francisco Franco for his private use. He could be found here every summer. After his death, the gardens were opened to the public on 20th July 1977.
After an extensive renovation work carried out in 2010, it has become now a perfect place to lose yourself in for an afternoon. What's more, you can visit the cultural centre, the House of Peace, the children's playground and the bar and restaurant, all in beautiful surroundings.
