Since
1985 Fernán Núñez Palace is the head office of Fundación de
los Ferrocarriles Españoles. It was acquired in 1941 by
Compañía de los Ferrocarriles del Oeste de España (Western
Railway Company of Spain) and, after the railways
nationalization in the same year, it became the headquarters
of the Board of RENFE. Currently Adif (Administrator of
Railway Infrastructure) and Renfe – Operadora (Renfe-Operator)
are the owners.
The story begins in 1753 when Blas Jover, member of the
Council of Fernando VI, built his home on a plot of Santa
Isabel Convent gardens. Previously, this land belonged to
Antonio Pérez, Private Secretary of Felipe II, on which he
built his “"Atocha little house".
In 1769, after several property transfers, Miguel José Maria
de la Cueva, 13th Duke of Alburquerque and 4th Marquis de la
Mina, buys and transforms this house. He died in 1803
without heirs. For this reason this building was used as
barracks, hospital and renting houses until 1815, when
Felipe Osorio María de la Cueva, 7th Count of Cervellón,
inherits the mansion. Then he married María Francisca de
Asís, 2th Duchess of Fernán Nunez. They start a major
remodeling (1847-1849) to convert this mansion into a
Romantic Palace, as we can enjoy today. This "new" Palace
becomes the center of social life in Madrid attending their
parties and gatherings the royal family, nobility and other
important members of the Spanish society.
The palace is divided into two areas: the noble and service.
The noble part, the most preserved, is furnished and
decorated with priceless works of art, rugs and tapestries
from Santa Barbara Royal Factory, some based on Goya
drawings, Murano and Baccarat crystal chandeliers, silks and
other luxury decorations. Since 1941, the service area
houses the offices of those who support the activities of
railways.
Among the most significant environments are the Dancing Room
that resembles the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace, the
unique Elizabethan Hall and the Dining Hall. We also noticed
the garden designed by Parisians landscape architects and
its gorgeous marble fountain.
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Palace photographs
(spanish version)
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