Pemartin Palace

This palace is also known as Palacio de los Marqueses de Mesa de Asta, and it is located in Plaza de San Juan (San Juan Square). The palace is headquarter of Andalusian Flamenco Centre.

Its construction began in the 15th century and its first owner was Alvar Lopez de Hinojosa who was politician of Jerez. Currently, the owner is the government of Andalusia, being the headquarter of the Andalusian Flamenco Centre where visitors can listen many disc and check out to biography and old data about this musical style. Also, there are daily projections of flamenco videos.

The palace has two floors. It highlights its Moorish decoration and stained glasses. The main door it is slightly to the left of the assembly of the facade.

Inside the building, there is a square patio that distributes the rooms of palace.

The Centro Andaluz del Flamenco (Andalusian Flamenco Centre) was founded in 1993 and is an Andalusian institution which has like aims the recovery, conservation, investigation and diffusion of flamenco.

The institution has plenty of material linked with flamenco: sound library with 15,000 recordings, videos, photos and library with 4,000 books.

Contact, visit and location

Address: Plaza de San Juan, 1. Postal code 11403

Telephones:

(+34) 956 349265

(+34) 956 322711

(+34) 956 321602

Fax: (+34) 956 321127

Email: flamenco.ccd@juntadeandalucia.es

Facebook: Centro Andaluz de Flamenco

Schedule: Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 2pm

Free entry

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Montana Marquis's Palace

Montana Marquis's Palace 

(Domecq’s Palace)

The Palace of Montana's Marquis was during many years property of Domecq's Marquis and due to this, is also known as Domecq Palace.

It was ordered to build by the first Marquis of Montana, Antonio Cabezas de Aranda y Román. It was declared as Spanish Property of Cultural Interest and Spanish Historic-Artistic Monument.

The designer of the palace was Antonio Matías de Figueroa and the construction finished in 1778. After the death of the Montana Marquis, his wife gave the property to clerical government. Later, with the Mendizábal confiscation, the palace belonged to Juan Pedro Domecq Lembeve, and when he died to Juan Pedro de Aladro Domecq, and finally with his death, his wife sold the property to the brothers Domecq Núñez de Villavicencio.

It was built in the San Sebastián square, currently, Alameda Cristina, between San Juan de Dios's convent (not exist) and Santo Domingo church and cloister.

The building is baroque style, and presents a square plant, being its interior symmetric. The construction has two floor differentiated by hollows and cornices. On the top, other small floor with lower height and with hollows topped with grilles. Almost all the decoration is concentrated in the main facade which is composed by balconies and a main door made with noble materials.

The distribution in the interior has as a cornerstone, a yard of square form and at bottom an imperial stair. The rooms are distributed around this yard.

Visit, contact and location

Email: info@palaciodomecq.com
Telephone: 956 34 07 50

Address: Alameda Marqués de Casa Domecq, 8

Visits:

From April to October

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 and 11:00

Saturdays at 12:00

The visit has 45 minutes of duration

Price: 8€ each person.

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Villapanés Palace

Villapanés palace

This palace represents to the civil architecture of the 18th century. It was built by the Panés family that had Genoese origin.

The palace construction was started by Petronila Pavón, Villapanés Marquis's wife, and was finished by Miguel María Panés González de Quijano. The monument has two houses, the most ancient has its facade in the Empedrada street and it is known as "the big house"; the other one, known as "small house" has its facade in the Cerro Fuerte and Cruz Viejas streets.

The big house highlighted by its simple and elegant features, having a three floor facade in which highlights a rectilinear balcony. Inside highlights the arcaded courtyard red marble and the elegant red marble staircase which is surrounded by frescoes painted on the walls and a decorated dome.

The construction of the small house begun in 1766, with the aim to balance the house with the new facade and also, create a monumental facade to the Cruz Vieja street. It is repeated the same elements and decorative materials of the big house, highlighting the two corners. On the left, it is located the Archangel St. Michael and on the right, the Archangel St. Raphael.

The palace had a very important library. Miguel María Panés González de Quijano, marquis of Villapanés , was a cult and illustrated man, also, was member and the first president of the Economic Society of Friends of the Country in Jerez, being the first headquarters this palace.

The marquis had in this palace one of the best libraries of Andalusia, which was opened to the public. The library disappeared in a shipwreck when it was travelling to Genoa.

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Riquelme palace

Riquelme palace

The Riquelme palace is a 16th century monument which is renaissance style. It is located in the city centre, in Plaza del Mercado next to the Archaeological Museum and the San Mateo Church.

The building was paid by the Riquelme family during the medieval age with the aim of show to other noble families their power. The building was built in the main square of Jerez after the city conquest and was designed in a modern style in comparison with the medieval architecture that existed in Jerez.

Currently, the palace is in rehabilitation process. The palace was the main civil building when was built.

The facade was built in 1542 by Fernando Álvarez and shows a big exterior front. It has two floors according with the palaces style of the 15th century.

The main door has a sculptural ornamentation with allusions to the classical mythology and some symbols. It has to highlight the two reliefs of Hercules, below of these, it is represented to the left to Hercules fighting against the Nemea Lion and, on the right, the Ueyanira kidnapping by the Neso centaur.

The decoration is completed with a central frieze in which are appeared a bust, the heraldic shield of the family and four medallions which correspond to the emperor Constantine, the twins Romulus and Remus, the king Nebuchadnezzar and Queen Camilla of the Aeneid.

It highlights also, the columns of the exterior angles of the building which have Renaissance Corinthian capitals which influence is due to the Genoese traders that came to Jerez.

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Calle Larga (Larga Street)

Calle Larga (Larga Street)

This street is one of the most important of Jerez centre, such its history and architecture, as commercial and leisure characters. It is full of shops, restaurant and coffee shops so it is a good walk to locals and foreign.

At the end of the16th century, the city hall to the aim to get extra incomes allowed the construction of housing attached to the wall. Nowadays, the wall can see in the interior of some business (for instance, in the bar "La moderna").

The Larga Street became from its beginnings in a commercial and festive place due to, it connects with some important squares and streets.

In 1855 were planted orange trees and the street was embellished, also a building was felled to allow the access to the Plaza del Banco.

Later, in 1910, was installed the Local Telephonic Centre and after that was built the Hotel Los Cisnes (The Swans Hotel), which was an emblematic place in the city due to the important and famous people were accommodated in this hotel, currently is a mall.

In the 60's, the environment created by the bar and coffee shops was changed by shops so the festive environment decreased. Between the 80's and 90's, the traffic was intense so the street was pedestrianized and the festive environment came back.

There are buildings from the Jerez conquest to buildings of the 20th century, we have to highlight: St. Domingo convent, Villamarta palace (16th century), Gallo Azul, Gran Peña building and La moderna, one of the most emblematic bar of the city with more than 100 years of history and in its interior there is part of the city wall.

The street have two sections, the first one is a pedestrian zone which begin in the Gallo Azul and finish in the "Rotonda de los Casinos", and the second one with little road from the "Rotonda de los Casinos " to "Alameda Cristina".

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El Gallo Azul

El Gallo Azul

This building was built with occasion of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 by order of Domecq family. Aníbal González designed this building. The construction aim was to make more beautiful the crossing between the Larga street and Santa Maria Street.

This building becomes in one of the symbols of Jerez and one of the most photographed places, due to, the place where is located, in the centre of the city, and its singular architecture.

The building is neo-moorish style and follows the traditional architecture in brick that the architect was doing in Seville. We have to highlight that it has the same style, period and architect that the Jerez train station. The construction began in 1927 and was finished in the next year.

The plant of the building is almost circular and has an opened gallery with Ionic columns of white marble. On the top, there is a big semicircular tile flanked by two jars of lilies.

Currently, the building is a restaurant. 

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Palacio de Bertemati (Bertemati’s Palace)

Palacio de Bertemati (Bertemati’s Palace)

The Bertemati's Palace construction began in 1785 in the Plaza del Arroyo by the Sopranis-Dávila family. It was declared Spanish Property of Cultural Interest and   Historic-Artistic Monument. This palace represents the typical manorial house of Jerez.

The Soprenis-Dávila family decided to build its house next to the Saviour Church (currently the Cathedral) in the 18th century. During the 19th century, this building suffered some modification and it was divided in two properties. The landlord of the larger property was José Bertemati, who was a trader that acquired heritage and politic power in Jerez, transforming his property to the new architectonical style of that age. The other property was a manorial house.

Later, both properties were joined by Enrique Bertemati who loaned to the Church. In 2002 was begun the restoration work and was finished 4 years later. Since this date to currently, the palace is the central institution of the diocese of Asidonia-Jerez.

The facade in baroque style and has two bodies. We have to highlight the columns which hold a balcony triply curved.

The palace is located in Plaza del Arroyo (Arroyo square) next to the Cathedral.

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Plaza del Arenal (Arenal Square)

Plaza del Arenal

The name of this square comes from "arenarium" or "battles' place" because after the Jerez conquest this place was a duel and battle site at the outside of the walls.

The land where is located the square took importance due to the nearness to the Alcazar and the Royal Door which was the entry to the trade centre of Jerez. In 1593, it ordered that all the public shows would be held in this square. Furthermore, some Kings and Queens as the Catholic Monarchs, Felipe V, Carlos III, Isabel II or Alfonso XII were received in the Arenal Square.

This square has been denominated for many names according with the politic moment of the country, being the Arenal name the older and the current. It was known like The Catholic Monarchs square due to their visit to Jerez in 1477, also Fernando VII square during his reign, Isabel II square, The Constitution square, The Republic square during the second spanish republic and Alfonso XII square.

Nowadays it is the main square of the city. Also, in the centre of this square is located the monument of Miguel Primo de Rivera (military, political and dictator, born in Jerez).

There are some interest buildings in the square, we have to highlight the Alhóndiga building built as market of fruit and vegetables during the Carlos II reign in 1683. Later was using as barrack. Other building is the Justice Palace which has neo-classicist facade and was built in the 18th century. This building was a Justice Palace and then the Mayor's house.

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Plaza de la Asunción (Assumption Square)

Plaza de la Asunción (Assumption Square)

This square is located in one of the oldest places of Jerez, where was the Arab Medina and all the public institutions.

It is one of the most touristic squares of the city and one of the most beautiful, due to the mix of architectonical styles. Is one of the few Spanish squares where there are neo-classicist, gothic-Moorish and renaissance styles in the same square.

The square can be visited walking because of it is only for pedestrian, with the only exception of a little road section with little traffic. In one of the square's side is located the Consistorio Street which connects this square to the City Hall and with the Arenal Square. By the opposite side, there is the access to Plateros square which was the trade centre in the Arab age. Also there is the access to the Cathedral.

In the centre of the square is located the Assumption Monument. In one lateral is located the Ancient City Council, in the other side, San Dionisio Church, in front the church is located some mansions where were located the House of Justice and the Jail. In the other lateral there are buildings more moderns.

In 1418 was denominated to this square as San Dionisio square. Later, it was denominated as Escribanos (Scribes) square due to in this square, the scribes worked. It was a logical place to the scribes because in this square were located all the public buildings .Later, was known as Ancient City Council square when in 1873 that building was transformed in the Public Library and in the Archaeological Museum.

After that, it was denominated as Doctor Revueltas. He was a surgeon who inaugurated the Public Library. Finally, in 1952 the square was denominated with the current name, Assumption Square.

This square must be visited by the tourist due to its beauty.

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Cabildo Antiguo (Ancient City Council)

Ancient city council

History

The construction of this building takes place due to the importance that the city had during 16th century. This grandeur times began during the 15th century when Jerez was the residence of many noble and also when the city began to export its goods to Europe and America.

This ancient City Council was built by Andrés de Rivera, Diego Martín de Oliva y Bartolomé Sánchez.

From 1873 to few years ago, the building was destined to the Public Library and the Archaeological Museum. Currently, it uses again like city hall facilities.

Description

The construction started in 1575 and has three facades in only one plant. The building has a main body and other next to it with three arches. The two bodies are decorated with renaissance elements.

The facade of the main body has its hollow lintels flanked by Corinthian orders with friezes. Above that, there are the sculptures of the four virtues: prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude; and also, there are classical sculptures with symbolic and power contents of Hercules and Julio Cesar.

On the other hand, we have the open arches supported on marble columns. The semi-detached Corinthian columns are sustained in pedestals and finishing in upper stone balustrade that continues over the whole facade.

Above the balustrade, there are classical vases and above these the shields of the Royal House and the City Hall of Jerez.

Due to its aesthetics, this building is one of the best examples of the renaissance architecture of Andalucía.

Visit

This building is located at Plaza de la Asunción. The interior can only visit in especial occasions.

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Alcazar of Jerez

Alcazar of Jerez

History

The Alcazar of Jerez is one of the most important monuments of the city. Alcazar's name comes from Arab and means, set of buildings surrounded by walls, which were the political and military power places.

The Alcazar was built in the 12th century, being one of the few examples of Almohads architecture in Spain. During that century, the city was one of the most important cities of Andalusia with 16,000 habitants.

The monument was designated as Spanish Property of Cultural Interest in 1931.

Route

1. City door. It is the main entry to the Alcazar currently. It is the typical Arab fort entry with a bend. Across a big horseshoe arch, the visitants come to a covered space by groined vault.
2. The Mosque. During the Arab age, Jerez had 18 mosques, but right now there is only one, the Alcazar's Mosque. It is a little private oratory, built in the 12th century and it presents the characteristic features of these buildings as: The minaret, tower from which the call is made ​​for prayer; the ablutions' place; prayer room...
3. The oil press. The old oil press was built during the 18th century by Lorenzo Fernandez de Villavicencio, due to, the oil crop was very important in Jerez until the middle of 19th century.
4. Parade ground. It was built in the Christian age and was the place where were trained the army, pass in review to soldiers...
5. The gardens
6. Baths. The baths or Hamman were of private use and are the heirs of the Romans baths  thus have the typical three spaces division:
   - Cold room, transit area before to entry to the wet zone.
   - Warm room. This place was a massage room and the place where the people soaped to themselves. The room have domes and open skylights.
   - Hot room where steam baths were taken. The place had a high temperature due to the proximity of the cauldron and the heating system in the subsoil.
7. Countryside's door. It is the second door of the Alcazar and was the door which communicated the fort with outside of the city. Due to this, the door has a bigger defensive's system.
8. The Villavicencio Palace. Bartolomé de Villavicencio who was one of the most powerful nobles of the city, obtained the Alcazar by inheritance in 1664 and made a number of reforms. One of these was the construction of this baroque palace which was built on the ancient Arab palace. The lounges conserve their original decoration. In the second floor, it is exposed the ancient municipal pharmacy of the 19th century. In the palace tower, is located the dark room where can be seen the city as bird's eye view with real moving images and Jerez.
9. Pavilion Quad Doña Blanca. It is located next to the octagonal tower and it is preserved the only Almohad palace of the primitive Alcazar. Originally, it was using as rest and leisure time pavilion and had entrance porch and pool. The building has square plan covered by an octagonal dome with two side alcoves to rest.
10. Octagonal tower. It is the primitive tower of the Arab fort and is located in the south, in the taller place due to the tower had watchtower's use.
11. The Donjon. Rodrigo Ponce de León ordered the construction of this building in 1471. Originally was surrounded by a moat due to the defensive system that the tower had plus as well as dwelling.

Visit

The Alcazar is open every day except: 1st, 6th of January and 25th of December.

Schedules:

• November to February: 9:30 am to 15:00 pm
• March to June: 9:30 am to 18:00 pm
• July to 15th of September: 9:30 am to 20:00pm
• 16th of September to November: 9:30 am to 18:00pm
• Every Saturday and Sunday of the year: 9:30am to 15:00pm
• Especial Holy Week and Horse Fair Schedules: 9:30am to 15:00pm

It is important that the entry will be closed 30 minutes before the close.

Prices:

Tickets to Alcazar: 5€ adult ticket and 1.80€ the reduced tickets.

Tickets to Alcazar + The dark room: 7€ adult ticket and 4.20€ the reduced tickets

*Reduced ticket: Students, retiree, habitants and residents of Jerez.

Group visits:

• The group visits will be one hour approximately and guided tour. Price: 5€ each person.
• Languages: English, German and French.
• The group visit without guides will cost 4€ each person.
• The sessions in the obscure camera will be each 30 minutes and have 20 minutes of duration.
• It is necessary, to the guided visit (only group), get an appointment previously.

Contact and location

Address: Alameda Vieja, s / n

Telephone: 956 149955 - 956 149956

Fax: 956 14 90 44

E-mail: info.visitas.alcazar@aytojerez.es

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