Larrinaga Palace Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Larrinaga Palace
Larrinaga Palace in 2007
General information
Status	Complete
Architectural style	Neo-Renaissance
Location	Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Address	123 Miguel Servet Avenue, Zaragoza, Spain, 50013
Coordinates	41°38′18″N 0°51′52″W / 41.63833°N 0.86444°W / 41.63833; -0.86444
Construction started	1901
Completed	1911
Owner	Ibercaja Banco
Height	45 feet
Technical details
Floor count	3
Grounds	24.7 acres
Design and construction
Architect	Félix Navarro Pérez

The Larrinaga Palace is a beautiful old building in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1900s, and looks like a grand home from that era. Today, it's a special place where historical information is kept, and people can visit it.

What Does Larrinaga Palace Look Like?
- Gardens and Inside the Palace
The History of Larrinaga Palace
- Who Lived Here?
- New Owners and Restoration
The Larrinaga Family Story
What is Larrinaga Palace Used for Today?
Images for kids
See also

What Does Larrinaga Palace Look Like?

This amazing building has many decorations that remind us of the sea. You can see pictures of seaports and even a special family symbol called a heraldic coat of arms. This is because the Larrinaga family, who built the palace, were important sea traders. Miguel Larrinaga's father started a big shipping company called Olano, Larrinaga & Compañía.

The palace was built using strong materials from Aragon, like stone, brick, and ceramic tiles.

Gardens and Inside the Palace

The palace is surrounded by a very large garden. A fancy iron gate encloses the garden, keeping it private. Inside the palace, there's a central area built around a courtyard. This design was inspired by old palaces from the Aragonese Renaissance period. A beautiful dome covers this courtyard, making it feel very grand. The building has three floors in total.

The History of Larrinaga Palace

The Larrinaga Palace was designed by a famous architect from Aragon named Félix Navarro Pérez. He worked on building it between 1901 and 1911. The palace was constructed in an old part of Zaragoza called Montemolín.

During the Spanish Civil War, the basement of the palace was used as a safe place for people to hide.

Who Lived Here?

The palace was finished in 1908. It was meant to be the retirement home for Miguel Larrinaga and his wife, Asunción Clavero. However, they never actually lived there. They lived in Liverpool and had other vacation homes in San Sebastián and Málaga. Sadly, Asunción Clavero passed away in 1939. After that, the palace was put up for sale in 1942.

A company that made elevators, called Giesa, bought the palace and its land. They built a factory right next to the palace. But soon after, they also decided to sell the land.

New Owners and Restoration

The Society of Mary bought the palace next and used it as a school for some time. Later, in 1993, Ibercaja Bank bought the building. They worked hard to restore it and make it look beautiful again.

A historian who studied architecture in Zaragoza, Jesús Martínez Verón, once said that the Larrinaga Palace was "The best example of Zaragoza's mix of styles between 1885 and 1920." He also called it "one of the best grand homes built in Aragon" because of its size and how well it was made.

The Larrinaga Family Story

The story of the Larrinaga Palace begins with Ramón de Larrinaga and his wife, Telesfora de Luzárraga. They had five children: Félix, Anselma, María, Miguel, and Domingo. Miguel was the one who later bought the land and decided to build the palace. When Ramón and Telesfora passed away, their younger children were still minors. Their uncles, Miguel Antonio de Luzárraga and José de Larrinaga, took care of them.

When Miguel was 15 years old, he started studying law. He wanted to take over his father's shipping company. He traveled to Zaragoza for his studies. While there, at the Basilica del Pilar, he met Asunción Clavero. She was from Albalate del Arzobispo. They later got engaged during the Fiestas del Pilar, a big festival in Zaragoza.

After Miguel finished his studies, he went to Liverpool and married Asunción Clavero. In 1898, he took over the family shipping company, which was then renamed Miguel de Larrinaga Steamship Co. Ltd. In 1900, Miguel came back to Zaragoza and bought a piece of land. He called it "Villa Asunción," planning to build a home there. After the Civil War and Asunción's death in 1939, Miguel sold the land to the Giesa company.

What is Larrinaga Palace Used for Today?

Today, the Larrinaga Palace is open for special visits. Groups of tourists and schoolchildren can arrange to explore the palace. Parts of the building can also be rented out for events, making it a lively and important place in Zaragoza.