Santa Cruz Palace, Renaissance palace in central Valladolid, Spain
Santa Cruz Palace is a Renaissance building with a square floor plan constructed entirely in limestone and featuring a central courtyard. The facade displays characteristic buttresses and Italian-inspired forms of the period, while today it houses multiple institutional and cultural functions.
A cardinal founded this educational institution in 1486 to introduce Italian Renaissance ideas to Spain. The building thus marked the beginning of a new architectural tradition on the Iberian Peninsula.
The palace houses an important historical library with medieval manuscripts that visitors can view in the reading rooms. The collection shows how this place has functioned as a center of knowledge and learning for centuries.
The building is accessible to visitors on weekdays during daytime hours, with areas like the chapel and art collections open for viewing. Allow enough time to explore the various collections at a comfortable pace.
Inside is a baroque chapel featuring a Christ sculpture created by a renowned Spanish artist from the early 17th century. The same institution also houses an important African art collection, which is surprising for a place of this era and origin.
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