Palau de la Virreina

Barcelona · Spain · Palace

The vicereine's palace on the Rambla was built for an aged colonial grandee who died before he could enjoy it – and his young widow is said never to have moved out.

The rococo palace on the Rambla was raised in the 1770s by Manuel d'Amat, returned viceroy of Peru, with riches gathered in the colonies. The aged grandee married the young Maria Francesca de Fiveller – but died soon after the palace was finished, and it took its name from her: la Virreina, the vicereine. The widow lived on in the vast house for decades, known for her piety and her alms, and according to legend she never left it. Staff and visitors at today's cultural centre have reported sudden drops in temperature in the halls, unexplained whispers in the galleries, and the sense of someone walking just behind them – the quiet vicereine, so the story goes, drifting through her palace of mourning.

FAQ

Where is Palau de la Virreina located?

Palau de la Virreina is in Barcelona, Spain.

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Image: Kippelboy · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons