CALDERON DE LA BARCA PALACE
-CURRENTLY FOR SALE: See Plans-

Architectural set formed by and strengthened and battlemented Tower, with “arrowers and loopholes and moat and counter moat and barbican” as described in Calatrava's dossier of 1695. It is located in a small plateau that spreads in the average hillside of Viveda's hill (Santillana del Mar), placed only 25 km from Santander and 5 km to the Sea.

Click here to see the situation in the map.

The Tower constitutes a dominant and strategic position with notable perspective on the Saja riverbed, navigably in its epoch, controlling the passage of either people and goods by boat through the river.

It is precisely for this fact that the family 'Calderon' (Cauldron) of this Tower (whose original heraldic shield, with two 'Cauldron' signs in a fleur-de-lis on both sides of a Tower, remains in the entry to the Chapel) happens to be called "Calderon de la Barca" (="Cauldron of the Boat"); and to it belonged the illustrious writer of the XVIIth century, D. Pedro Calderón de la Barca (=Sir Peter "Cauldron of the Boat").

(Click on the pictures to see them on their original size.)

Current sight of the Tower.

Recreation

The origins go back at all less than before the XIIth century, (it has been considered to be the most ancient building of Cantabria), being there where, in 1214, St Francis of Assisi slept during his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

There remains still the stone in which, according to the tradition, St. Francis of Assisi reclined his head to sleep.

It also had secret passage up to the shore of the river, which nowadays is flooded.

Statue of St Francisc of Assesi in Viveda's roundabout

Detail of the plaque

Annexe to the Tower is situated a Renaissance palace of the XVth c., with addings of the XVIIth c., already without defensive purposes, of which stands out the equilateral pointed arches and the lancet arch windows.

With purely residential purposes, it consist of 1500m2 constructed.

Finally the construction finishes off with a chapel of the XVIth c. dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. All this on an urban 7000m2 plot.

Current sight of the palace.

Image file

Info: info@palaciocalderon.com

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