Palace of the Counts of Rodezno

The Palace of the Counts of Rodezno presides over Plaza de los Fueros. It stands beside the rear of the Town Hall and the parish church of Santa Eufemia, forming a unique Baroque corner that captivates visitors and reflects the importance Villafranca reached in this period. Walking through the square and pausing before its facade is like stopping in history. The Baroque urban landscape surrounds the visitor.

Originating in the 16th century, the palace is made up of several brick buildings joined together and transformed over time. The main facade, facing Plaza de los Fueros, has been heavily altered and features a lower section with a central lintelled doorway and two upper levels with balconies. The building, still inhabited by descendants of the Arévalo family, who became related to the Counts of Rodezno in the 19th century, preserves inside a monumental 18th-century staircase. Its stairwell, large in scale and square in plan, is covered by a remarkable ribbed dome rising from a richly moulded cornice with hanging panels, decorated with 19th-century paintings that imitate marble and adapt to the ribs.

The facades facing Calle Procesiones and Plaza Nueva have not undergone significant alterations and preserve their original configuration more clearly. Both are arranged in two levels, with balconies on the second level, and an attic of small semicircular arches crowned by a cornice decorated with geometric motifs. The facade on Calle Procesiones has a rear semicircular doorway which was originally the main entrance, as above it, on the second level, there is a stone coat of arms with a cartouche of twisted leatherwork, dated to the late 16th century. The coat of arms depicts a castle with three towers and a mounted knight in armour, symbolising the lineage and noble status of the family.

Although it is a privately owned building and cannot be visited inside, its imposing exterior is well worth a stop. It is one of the most photogenic corners of the historic quarter.