Palacio del Marqués de San Nicolás

The Palace of the Marquis of San Nicolas is a stately home and one of the main examples of baroque civil architecture in La Rioja. It stands in Briones, La Rioja, in the Plaza de España, and is located in the historic center of the town, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, which reinforces its value within the monumental landscape of the town. It was ordered to be built by Don Esteban de Francia, second Marquis of San Nicolás, and is considered a work of the 18th century. The façade was completed in 1755, according to the date on the upper balcony, and its execution is attributed to the master builder Ignacio de Elejalde, following the design of Juan Bautista Arbaizar. Its chronology and authorship place it among the most representative civil buildings of the region. The building presents a very orderly composition, with three symmetrical bodies and three streets articulated by superimposed pilasters. The great eave of stone corbels and the baroque decoration of leaves, shells, rockeries and broken moldings in the hollows stand out. It also has two facades, one facing the Plaza de España and the other facing the Cerca, the latter more sober. In the 20th century, it was used for public functions and ended up housing the Briones Town Hall; after a restoration completed in 1996, it continues to serve as the municipal headquarters and exhibition space. In addition, the building is known for housing the so-called Enchanted House, linked to the Ethnology Section of the Museum of La Rioja.