Ducal Palace of Pastrana

The Ducal Palace of Pastrana is a Renaissance palace or stately home located in the town of Pastrana, in Guadalajara, within the town’s historic district. It is one of the most representative civil buildings of the so-called “Ducal Town” and is linked to Pastrana’s period of greatest urban splendor during the Modern Age. Construction began in 1541–1542 at the initiative of Doña Ana de la Cerda, Countess of Mélito, who commissioned the project to Alonso de Covarrubias, a leading figure of the Spanish Renaissance. The work remained unfinished for centuries and was completed in 1999 with modern renovations to the inner courtyard, according to the regional heritage record. The building features a distinct Spanish Renaissance design, with a square floor plan, four corner towers, and a central courtyard. Its relationship with the town’s urban space—facing the main square—is also noteworthy, as it serves as a key element of Pastrana’s historic landscape. Today, the palace retains great heritage value due to its architecture, its connection to the Éboli family, and its role as a tangible testament to Pastrana’s political and social heyday in the 16th and 17th centuries.