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{{Infobox historic site
| name = Archiepiscopal Palace of Alcalá de Henares
| native_name = Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares
| native_language = Spanish
| image = Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Hanares.jpg
| caption = The Archiepiscopal Palace in 2023.
| locmapin = Spain
| coordinates             = {{coord|40.482435|-3.369649|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Alcalá de Henares]], [[Community of Madrid]], [[Spain]]
| area =
| built =
| architect =
| architecture =
| governing_body =
| designation1            = WHS
| designation1_offname    = University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares
| designation1_date       = 1998<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/876 |title=University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=May 6, 2022}}</ref>
| designation1_criteria   = ii, iv, vi
| designation1_number     = 876
| designation1_type       = Cultural
| designation1_free1name  = Session
| designation1_free1value = 22nd
| designation1_free2name  = Region
| designation1_free2value = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe and North America]]
| designation2            = Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
| designation2_offname    = Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares
| designation2_date       = 1931
| designation2_number     = RI-51-0000727
| designation2_type       = [[Monument (Spain)|Monument]]
}}
The '''Archiepiscopal Palace of Alcalá de Henares''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares'') is a palace located in [[Alcalá de Henares]], in the [[Community of Madrid]], [[Spain]]. It is now home to the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Alcalá de Henares|Diocese of Alcalá de Henares]]. It is located in the Plaza del Palacio and this form part of the monumental set declared [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]].<ref name="UNESCO" />
The building complex dates from 1209. Two thirds were destroyed in a devastating fire in 1939, during the [[Spanish Civil War]]. The part of the building which is preserved is what is left intact after the 1939 fire, the damaged parts were not restored.<ref>[http://www.rutasconhistoria.es/loc/palacio-arzobispal-de-alcala-de-henares "Palacio arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares" Rutas con Historia (in Spanish)]</ref>
In this building came to reside different [[List of Castilian monarchs|Castilian monarchs]], were held synods and councils, and in here were born the youngest daughter of the [[Catholic Monarchs]] and future [[List of English monarchs|queen of England]], [[Catherine of Aragon]], and [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor]], son of [[Joanna of Castile|Joanna "the Mad"]]. In addition, it is famous for being the place where the first meeting between the [[Catholic Monarchs]] and [[Christopher Columbus]] was held.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.turismoalcala.es/que-visitar/monumentos/29-palacio-arzobispal-antiquarium-recinto-amurallado.html |title="Archbishop's Palace. Antiquarium and Walled" turismoalcala.es (in Spanish) |access-date=2015-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222085853/http://www.turismoalcala.es/que-visitar/monumentos/29-palacio-arzobispal-antiquarium-recinto-amurallado.html |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== History ==
[[File:Alcalá de Henares Palacio Arzobispal 6045.JPG|thumb|Tower of [[Pedro Tenorio (archbishop)|Tenorio]].]]
First it was a [[Mudéjar]] fortress  commissioned in 1209 by Archbishop [[Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada|Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada]] (1209-1247), as a temporary residence of the archbishops of Toledo (Alcalá belonged to the archdiocese) and hence its name. It has suffered several fires and destructions, and has been remodeled several times to the present.<ref>[http://cvc.cervantes.es/artes/ciudades_patrimonio/alcala_henares/paseo/palacio_arzobispal.htm Palacio Arzobispal. Centro Virtual Cervantes. Instituto Cervantes; 2012.]</ref>
In the Archbishop's Palace were held the Courts in 1348 and was enacted the [[Ordenamiento de Alcalá]], in that was unified the administration of justice to all the lands that formed the [[Crown of Castile]].
In 1308 the kings [[Ferdinand IV of Castile]] and [[James II of Aragon]] met here to agree and sign the [[Treaty of Alcalá de Henares]] by which were distributed the territories obtained from [[al-Andalus]]ian [[Taifa]]s during the [[Reconquista]].
Also in the 14th century, Archbishop [[Pedro Tenorio (archbishop)|Pedro Tenorio]] (1377-1399) rebuilt the building fortifying it. He built a parade courtyard, rectangular, of more than 2 hectares. Surrounded by a walls with 21 [[tower]]s; all rectangular except the [[Albarrana tower|albarrana]], which was pentagonal, all attached to them in a semicircular plan. Currently are 16 towers, highlighting the "[[Tower of Tenorio]]" named in memory of the Archbishop.
In the 15th century, Archbishop [[Juan Martínez Contreras]] (1423-1434) build the east wing, decorated with large Gothic windows, the Anteroom and Hall of the Councils. The latter two were connected by a large túmido arc (in pointed horseshoe), and covered by a formidable Gothic-Mudéjar coffered ceiling.
On 20 January 1486, here was held the first interview between Queen [[Isabella I of Castile]] with [[Christopher Columbus]] to finance the trip to the Indies.<ref>[http://alcalafoto.blogsome.com/2008/07/27/palacio-arzobispal/ Palacio Arzobispal. Alcalá de Henares, photo to photo. 27/07/2008.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919032353/http://alcalafoto.blogsome.com/2008/07/27/palacio-arzobispal/ |date=September 19, 2009 }}</ref>
In 1524 Archbishop [[Alonso de Fonseca y Ulloa]] (1523-1534) commissioned the architect [[Alonso de Covarrubias]] to construct the west wing, with its courtyards and its magnificent staircase. His successor, Cardinal [[Juan Pardo de Tavera]] (1534-1545), finished the work.
Throughout its existence it housed the archives of the diocese of Toledo. Subsequently, its facilities were used for the custody of the Notary Clerks and the Judicial revenue. And from 1858 to 1939 was the '''Central General Archive of Alcalá de Henares'''.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120707003514/http://alcalafoto.blogsome.com/2010/01/17/ruinas-del-palacio-arzobispal/ Ruinas del Palacio Arzobispal. Alcalá de Henares, photo to photo. 17/01/2010.]</ref>
Given the saturation of the [[Archivo de Simancas]] and its distance to the Court of Madrid, was determined the creation of the Central General Archive in 1858 in the Archbishop's Palace after its assignment to the State for this purpose by Archbishop [[Cirilo de Alameda y Brea]] (1857-1872).<ref>Royal Decree of July 17, 1858</ref> This Archive received documents from the ministries and agencies suppressed following the reform of 1834. After the regulatory deadlines it forwarded the documents to the [[National Historical Archive (Spain)|National Historical Archive]], until on August 12, 1939 a fire destroyed the Central General Archive. Its successor, from 1969 is [[General Archive of the Administration]] (AGA), also in Alcalá de Henares.<ref>[http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGA/Presentacion/Historia.html History of the General Archive of the Administration. Ministry of Culture of Spain. 05/12/2011.]</ref>
Since 1991, it is the seat of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Alcalá de Henares|Bishopric of Alcalá de Henares]], and residence of the bishop.
===Disastrous fire of 1939===
[[File:Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares (Jean Laurent ca. 1870) vista general.png|thumb|left|An early 20th century photo showing a complete and aerial view of the Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá before the disastrous 1939 fire.]]
The Archbishop's Palace was a barracks for tanks and ammunition, both during and after the [[Spanish Civil War|Civil War]], when, for the failure to prevent flammable materials that were there, there was a big fire. It was not the first suffered in its long history, but one of the most voracious, because it destroyed much of the buildings and the documentation kept there for three centuries.<ref>[http://www.dream-alcala.com/palacio-arzobispal/ "Palacio Arzobispal", Dream Alcalá dream-alcala.com]</ref>
Among the artistic treasures that were lost in the Archbishop's Palace are: the [[Mudéjar]] coffered ceiling of the Hall of Councils, the monumental staircase of Covarrubias -architect of the façade-, the courtyard of Fonseca, the courtyard of the Hallelujah, the façade of the courtyard of the Ave Maria, paintings, and the first archaeological museum of the city.
==The building==
[[File:Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares (RPS 1-9-2007) escudo de Luis de Borbón y Farnesio.jpg|thumb|right|Arms of the [[Infante Luis, Count of Chinchón|Infante Luis Antonio]], as Cardinal of Toledo in the main façade of the Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares.]]
The building has undergone numerous constructions and rehabilitations, the fire of August 11, 1939 being especially devastating, which destroyed two thirds of its structure: three courtyards ("the Fonseca" or "the Covarrubias", "the Hallelujah" and the "Small garden" or "of the Fountain"), the "Staircase of honor", the "Facade of the Ave Maria", which was of [[Herrerian]] style and the "Garden of the Vicar". A rehabilitation of the less damaged parts was completed in 1996 and was necessary.<ref>Sánchez Montes AL. Memory of the Archaeological excavations at the Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares. Madrid: Directorate General of Historical Heritage. Community of Madrid; 1992.</ref><ref>Sánchez Moltó MV, Arnaiz Gorroño MJ, Pavón Maldonado B. Guidebook of the visitor of the Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares. Chronicling of its last reconstruction (2 volumes). Alcalá de Henares: Bishopric of Alcala de Henares; 1996. {{ISBN|84-89285-07-1}}</ref>
Currently has 16 towers, highlighting the "[[Tower of Tenorio]]". Entering through the parade courtyard, appears the [[Renaissance]] main façade of the building. It is divided into two bodies, being the low of ashlar, with two floors of [[Plateresque]] windows that joins an upper gallery of gemanates arches. On the central window is a [[Baroque]] coat of arms terracotta, which replaced the imperial coat of arms of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]]. The blazon is of the Cardinal-Infante [[Luis of Spain, Count of Chinchón|Luis Antonio of Bourbon]], son of [[Philip V of Spain|Philip V]], first Bourbon replacing the [[Habsburg Spain|Habsburg]] dynasty. This courtyard is closed at south by a cast iron grille, made in Belgium in the 19th century.<ref>[http://e-spacio.uned.es/fez/eserv.php?pid=bibliuned:ETFSerieVII-2011-24-2190&dsID=Documento.pdf Consuegra Gandullo A. Alcázar-Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares: past, present and future of a National Monument in a City World Heritage Site. Space, time and form. Serie VII,  Historia del arte. 2011; (24):417-44.]</ref>
In the east wing, where the "Hall of Councils" used to be, underwent a major restoration in its exterior and interior in the 19th century by Juan José Urquijo y Manuel Laredo, following the [[Neo-Mudéjar]] style. In 1997 the restored [[Gothic Revival architecture|neo-Gothic]] chapel was opened, which replaced the missing Hall of Councils. In the lower floor a modern auditorium has been made, replacing the "Hall of the Queen Isabella".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20021018232008/http://www.portal-local.com/tuho_mon_pala_arzo.asp Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares. Portal Local. 2012]</ref>
=== Missing elements ===
<gallery mode=packed heights="130px">
File:Jenaro Pérez Villaamil (España artística y monumental, 1850) Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares, patio de Fonseca.png|A courtyard of the palace.
File:Constantin Uhde (1888) Puerta de la antesala en el Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares.png|Door of the anteroom to the Hall of Councils.
File:Constantin Uhde (1888) Salón de Concilios en el Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares.png|Hall of Councils.
File:118b Tafel 8 - Alcala de Henares, Hof im erzbischöflichen Palaste 1534.jpg|Courtyard of [[Alonso III Fonseca|Fonseca]].
File:Constantin Uhde (1888) Escalera de Covarrubias en el Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares.png|Staircase of [[Alonso de Covarrubias|Covarrubias]].
File:Alcalá de Henares. Puerta interior del Palacio Arzobispal.jpg|Inner door with the coat of [[Juan Pardo de Tavera|Tavera]].
File:Hauser y Menet Alcalá de Henares, Archivo General Central, fachada este.png|Archbishop's Palace after the fire.
</gallery>
==Antiquarium museum==
Through the Tower XIV visitors can access the Antiquarium and visit some of those aforementioned remains, which have recreated partially the galleries of the Ave Maria, the large Courtyard of Fonseca and the Staircase of Covarrubias.
For decades the performance outside of the play "[[Don Juan Tenorio]]" by [[José Zorrilla]] was held in Alcalá, around various monuments, and one of it is always the Archbishop's Palace, in some years being staged exclusively there.
The Antiquarium is an outdoors museum placed in the inside of the walled enclosure and accessible through the fourteenth tower.
==Toponymy==
The Archbishop's Palace owes its name to that [[Alcalá de Henares]] for eight hundred years belonged to the jurisdiction of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toledo|archbishops of Toledo]], who were also the primates -the most preeminent- of all Spain, and that here had their residence. This meant that Alcalá de Henares was always at the center of religious power, which for centuries was also synonymous with the political.
==Historical people==
[[File:Alcalá de Henares, Monumento a Catalina de Aragón (M. Peinado 24-05-2008).jpg|thumb|200px|Statue of [[Catherine of Aragon]] under the [[Tower of Tenorio]].]]
===Monarchs that born, lived and died in the Archbishop's Palace===
In the Archbishop's Palace, many members of the court lived and died, including the [[Crown of Castile|Castilian]] King [[John I of Castile|John I]] in 1390, after falling off his horse nearby. Other monarchs used it as a temporary residence, for example, the [[Catholic Monarchs]]; their daughter, [[Catherine of Aragon]] (who would be [[List of English monarchs|queen of England]] as wife of [[Henry VIII of England]]) was born there.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Catherine of Aragon |volume=5 |last= Yorke | first= Philip Chesney |author-link= | pages = 529&ndash;531|short=x}}</ref> Here in this Archbishop Palace too was born [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor]],<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Ferdinand I. (emperor) | volume= 10 | pages = 261&ndash;262 |short= 1}}</ref> son of [[Joanna the Mad]] and [[Holy Roman Emperor]] as successor of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]] (Charles I of Spain).
===Others who died in the Archbishop's Palace===
* [[Jimeno Martínez de Luna]] (¿? - 1338): Archbishop.
* [[Sancho de Rojas]] (1372 - 1422): Archbishop and soldier.
* [[Juan Martínez de Contreras]] (¿? - 1434): Archbishop and lawyer.
* [[Alfonso Carrillo de Acuña]] (1410 - 1482): Archbishop.
* [[Alonso III Fonseca]] (1475 - 1534): Archbishop.
* [[García Loaysa y Girón]] (1534 - 1599): Archbishop and writer.<ref>[http://historiasdealcala.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/los-enterramientos-de-los-arzobispos-de-toledo/ José Antonio Perálvarez. The burials of the Archbishops of Toledo. Historias de Alcalá. 27-01-2014.]</ref>
== Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares in audiovisual media ==
In its facilities partially or totally recorded several film productions:<ref>[http://alcine.org/publicacion/14/alcala-y-el-cine/ Ballesteros Torres P. Alcalá and film. An approach to cinematic development of the city. Film Festival of Alcalá de Henares; 1995.]</ref><ref>[http://www.ieecc.es/AC/AC_2011_013BT.pdf Ballesteros Torres P. Over a hundred years of film shoots in Alcalá de Henares: Filmography 1905-2010. Anales Complutenses. 2011; XXIII. 339-79] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090932/http://www.ieecc.es/AC/AC_2011_013BT.pdf |date=March 4, 2016 }}</ref>
=== Movies ===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* 1918:	[[Los intereses creados]] by [[Jacinto Benavente]] and [[Ricardo Puga]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0009230/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Los intereses creados (1919). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1928: [[El guerrillero]] by [[José Buchs]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018964/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1  El guerrillero (1928). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1931: [[Isabel de Solís, reina de Granada]] by [[José Buchs]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022004/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Isabel de Solís, reina de Granada (1931). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1934:	[[El agua en el suelo]] by [[Eusebio Fernández Ardavín]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023745/ El agua en el suelo (1934). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1943:	[[El escándalo (movie of 1943)|El escándalo]] by [[José Luis Sáenz de Heredia]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035845/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_5 El escándalo (1943). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1960:	[[La rana verde]] by [[José María Forn]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050885/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 La rana verde (1960). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1967:	[[Sor Citroen]] by [[Pedro Lazaga]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062290/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Sor Citroen (1967). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1972:	[[Carta de amor de un asesino]] by [[Francisco Regueiro]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068340/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Carta de amor de un asesino (1972). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1972: [[¡Qué nos importa la revolución!]] by [[Sergio Corbucci]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069547/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ¡Qué nos importa la revolución! (1972). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1973: [[Lo verde empieza en los Pirineos]] by [[Vicente Escrivá]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070331/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Lo verde empieza en los Pirineos (1973). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1974: [[Una pareja... distinta]] by [[José María Forqué]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071971/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Una pareja... distinta (1974). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1977: Paraíso by [[Miguel Luxemburgo]] (José Miguel Ganga)
* 1986: [[Dragón Rapide]] by [[Jaime Camino]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090969/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Dragón Rapide (1986). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
{{div col end}}
=== Documentaries ===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* 1935: Alcalá de Henares by Daniel Jorro
* 1943: Alcalá de Henares by Francisco Mora
* 1946:	Alcalá, la cervantina by Juan A. Durán
* 1946:	Compluto Alcalá de Henares by Luis Meléndez Galán
* 1970: Alcalá de Cervantes by Raúl Peña Nalda<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164329/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Alcalá de Cervantes (1970). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1971: Ruta colombina by Augusto Fenollar<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170526/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Ruta colombina (1971). IMDb. Accessed the 12/26/2015.]</ref>
* 1992: Sueños de fortuna by Pedro Martínez Oses
* 2013: El Palacio de los Arzobispos de Toledo en Alcalá de Henares by Gustavo Chamorro Merino and Ángel Pérez López
{{div col end}}
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Palacio Arzobispal de Alcalá de Henares}}
* [http://www.obispadoalcala.org/inicio.php Bishopric of Alcalá de Henares] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412050527/https://www.obispadoalcala.org/inicio.php |date=2020-04-12 }}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LiE12ZVDNE Virtual tour through a reconstruction of the Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares (video with a defect, it shows the Tower of Tenorio without its spire and neither the clock of the palace that placed on the spire)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161220072952/http://mayores.uji.es/datos/2011/apuntes/fin_ciclo_2012/palacio_arzobispal.pdf "Adventures and misadventures of the Archbishop's Palace of Alcalá de Henares"], Research work "a Senior University Diploma" from [[Jaume I University]] (written in Spanish)
{{World Heritage Sites in Spain}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Archbishop's Palace Of Alcala De Henares}}
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1209]]
[[Category:Palaces in the Community of Madrid]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Alcalá de Henares]]
[[Category:Mudéjar architecture in the Community of Madrid]]
[[Category:Gothic architecture in the Community of Madrid]]
[[Category:Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Community of Madrid]]
[[Category:Episcopal palaces]]
[[Category:Catherine of Aragon]]
[[Category:Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor]]
[[Category:Burned buildings and structures in Spain]]