Palacio de Ripalda facts for kids
The Palacio de Ripalda was a beautiful old building in Valencia, Spain. It was designed in 1889 by a Spanish architect named Joaquín María Arnau Miramón. The palace had an Eclectic style, which means it mixed different architectural ideas from various periods. Sadly, this special building no longer exists today.
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History of the Ripalda Palace
The architect Joaquín María Arnau Miramón started working closely with María Josefa Paulín y de la Peña in 1889. She was the widow of the Count of Ripalda. She asked him to design several important buildings. One of the most important was a grand palace for her. This palace was built on the Paseo de la Alameda in Valencia. It was finished just two years later, in 1891.
In 1936, during the time of the Republic, the palace was used for an important purpose. It became the main office for the Ministry of Commerce. Over the years, the palace remained a romantic landmark in Valencia. However, keeping up with its maintenance became very difficult. This iconic building was a symbol of the city until it was torn down in 1967. Today, a building called La Pagoda stands where the palace once was. It is next to the Jardines de Monforte.
Why the Palace Was Demolished
The city leaders, led by Mayor Adolfo Rincón de Arellano, wanted to build a new, modern Trade Fair. This new fair was planned for the Benimamet area. To get the money for this, they decided to tear down the old Trade Fair building. It was another building from the 1930s.
Around the same time, the owners of the Palacio de Ripalda also asked for their old palace to be torn down. All of these demolitions happened very quickly, within a few months. Not many people complained in the newspapers about the palace being destroyed. Building the new Trade Fair was seen as more important at the time.
A businessman named José Meliá wanted to build a fancy hotel on the land where the palace stood. He imagined a hotel with a very modern design, like one in Florida. But his plans did not happen because he couldn't get enough money. Instead, two modern buildings, Jardines del Real and La Pagoda, were built on the sites of the old Fair and the Ripalda palace.
There was a rumor that the palace was carefully taken apart, stone by stone. People said it was then moved to the United States to be rebuilt there. However, there is no proof that this ever happened.
Features of the Palace
The Palacio de Ripalda was a very special building. It looked a bit like a castle. It had a unique and romantic appearance that was new for Valencia at the time.
See also
In Spanish: Palacio de Ripalda para niños
