Palace of Antonio de Mendoza, Renaissance palace in Guadalajara, Spain
The Palace of Antonio de Mendoza is a Renaissance structure with a rectangular central courtyard surrounded by stone columns and capitals designed after Italian models. The building displays the architectural work of Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia and stands as a notable example of 16th-century urban construction in the city.
The structure was designed by Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia in the 16th century as a palace for the Mendoza family. It later became a Franciscan convent under Brianda de Mendoza's direction, marking a significant change in its purpose.
The palace stands on the site of the synagogue of the Toledanos, which passed to the Mendoza family by royal privilege after the attacks on the Jewish quarter under John I of Castile. Brianda de Mendoza founded a Franciscan convent here in 1524 under the title Nuestra Señora de la Piedad, keeping the Marian dedication the synagogue had received. The name Piedad thus carries over from the former Jewish temple.
The building now houses the Liceo Caracense secondary school, so the courtyard is a working school space rather than a museum open to tourists. Access depends on the school's activity; the exterior, the north doorway and the street-facing garden can be seen from the street. The palace stands in the old Jewish quarter of Guadalajara, near the church of San Sebastián.
The palace stands on the site of the synagogue of the Toledanos, which passed by royal privilege to Aldonza de Ayala, second wife of Pedro González de Mendoza, at the end of the 14th century. Brianda de Mendoza kept the synagogue's Marian dedication, Nuestra Señora de la Piedad, when she founded her Franciscan convent there in 1524.
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