Palace of Dávalos, Renaissance palace and library in Guadalajara, Spain.

The Palace of Dávalos is a Renaissance building in Guadalajara featuring a two-story interior courtyard with stone columns and carved details. Fine architectural elements run throughout the structure, showing the craftsmanship typical of this period.

Built in the 16th century by Hernando de Ávalos Carrión, this palace represented the power of noble families in Guadalajara. It stands as a record of how important these families were to the city at that time.

The entrance displays a stone relief showing two knights in tournament, reflecting the chivalric ideals of the noble family who built it. This carving speaks to the values and self-image of the people who once called this place home.

The palace has housed the State Public Library of Guadalajara since 2004, when it also became the Guadalajara seat of the National Library of Spain. Enter through the arched stone portal on the corner facade; the Renaissance courtyard with its upper wooden gallery and stone columns lies inside. The building is a listed Bien de Interés Cultural.

The palace has found a second life as a library, showing how historical buildings can take on new roles today. The rooms keep their Renaissance features while serving as modern spaces for study and reading.