Palace of the Counts of Vega del Sella: A Historic Residence in Asturias
Site at a Glance
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Crown of Castile, Kingdom of León, Spanish
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Elite Residence
On this page6 sections
History
The Palace of the Counts of Vega del Sella is a historic residence in Nueva, in the municipality of Llanes, Asturias, Spain. Its foundation date is unknown, but the earliest documentary reference to a building there dates to 1032, when it belonged to the Estrada family of Cantabria, administrators of Llanes Castle.
The Estrada family and later remodelling
The palace was remodelled in the fourteenth century. From 1647, members of the Estrada family were styled Counts of the Vega del Sella.
Its façade was built in the seventeenth century in the Baroque style, a European architectural style that flourished especially during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Most of the main building reflects a further remodelling in the eighteenth century.
Ricardo Duque de Estrada, the eighth Count of the Vega del Sella, was a notable resident. He was a historian and archaeologist who carried out numerous excavations at prehistoric sites. In 1991, the palace and its associated park received Spain’s Bien de Interés Cultural designation, a formal status that protects cultural heritage.
Remains
Layout and principal features
The palace has a rectangular plan and two storeys, arranged around an interior courtyard that is a notable feature of the building. An associated park also forms part of the site.
Main façade
Two coats of arms representing the Duque de Estrada family are positioned at the center of the main façade.
Tower of the Aguilar de San Jorge
Attached to the palace, the medieval Tower of the Aguilar de San Jorge dates to the eleventh century. It is the oldest part of the complex and the sole surviving element of its original construction.
