|
The Ducal Palace of Gandia, also known as the Palace of the
Borja, is an extremely impressive building, typical of the civil
architecture of the time.
Uninspiring from outside, the interior hides wonders such
as the magnificent courtyard, “Patio de Armas”, the Crown Assembly
Hall and the spectacular Gold Gallery. The palace - built,
extended and restored throughout seven centuries - now exhibits a
large varied collection of architectural styles. Visible traces of
the original 14th and 15th century gothic palace remain, as do the
16th century renaissance influences, the typical 17th and 18th
century baroque expansions and transformations and the
re-constructions dating back to the from the late 19th century.
Although, if the Palace is important is for its
architecture, its history is even more impressive.
It was the Royal Dukes of the Aragon Kingdom's main
residence, surrounded by poets, such as Pere and Ausias March.
In 1485, the Cardinal Rodrigo of Borja, the future Pope
Alexander VI, bought Gandia Dukedom for his descendants,
establishing the Borja dukes’ dynasty until the year 1740, notably
among them was its fourth Duke Saint Francis of Borja.
From 1889, the Palace has been the property of the Society
of Jesus, which took charge of its restoration and maintenance,
focusing on the figure of Saint Francis of Borja, the third General
of the Society of Jesus. The Palace is situated
inside what were the first walls around the town, next to the town
hall and the collegiate church of Santa Maria.
The main facade is made of masonry and brick. The building
contains two floors, as well as the ground floor. The present
building itself, except the door, was almost entirely renovated in
the 17th century.
The first floor contains six lintel balconies off the
Palace rooms, which replaced the original gothic Moorish windows.
The entrance leading to the main hall is accessible through a
pointed arch door, with ashlar work voussoirs, characteristic of
14th and 15th century aristocratic architecture. |