Palace of Superunda

Palace of Superunda is a Renaissance mansion tucked inside the walled city of Ávila, just steps from the Matadero and Rastro gates. Easy to walk past among Ávila's medieval churches and stone houses, it holds one of the finest examples of 16th-century noble architecture in Castilla y León.

What will you see inside?

The palace was built around 1580 for alderman Pedro Ochoa Aguirre, with stonemason Juan Vela finishing the ashlar facade in 1595. It follows a square floor plan with a basement and two upper floors, flanked by a pair of towers that break up the otherwise horizontal line of the facade. On the ground floor, two windows frame an entrance with a moulded lintel, while the upper floor is marked by three balconies decorated with family coats of arms — traces of the different owners who shaped the building over the centuries.

Inside, the courtyard is worth a slow look: a lintelled space with restrained, austere decoration typical of Ávila's architecture from that era. The staircase holds a bust of Christ attributed to Vasco de la Zarza, one of the leading sculptors of the late Gothic and early Renaissance period active in the city.

The palace takes its current name from the Count of Superunda and Marquis of Bermudo, who inherited the building in the 19th century — not its first owner, but the one whose title stuck. The real turning point came in 1916, when Italian painter Guido Caprotti, who spent much of his life in Ávila, bought the property and lived there for decades. Today the interior displays his paintings of everyday life within the city walls, sculptures by his son Óscar Caprotti, a portrait attributed to Sorolla, and views of Ávila by López Mezquita.

How to get there and when to visit?

The Palace of Superunda sits right in the historic center, within easy walking distance of the cathedral and the city walls, so the simplest way to reach it is on foot, weaving through the old town along the way. The building is protected as a Site of Cultural Interest at national level (declared in 1992) and has recently been restored; it now functions as an exhibition space that is gradually being developed into a town museum centered on Caprotti's work.

Plan your visit around the seasonal opening hours: in winter (October 27 to March 26) the palace opens from 10 am to 2 pm and again from 4 pm to 6 pm; in summer (March 26 to October 26) hours run from 10 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, the palace is closed on Mondays, and it also closes specifically on April 4 from 12 pm to 2 pm.

General admission costs €5, with a €3 reduced rate. It's an easy stop to combine with a walk along Ávila's walls — a natural detour for anyone interested in Renaissance architecture as much as in early 20th-century Spanish art.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Palace of Superunda open every day? No, it's closed on Mondays, and opening hours shift by season — afternoon visits run later in summer than in winter.

How much does admission cost? General admission is €5, with a reduced rate of €3.

What's the main highlight inside? The collection of paintings by Guido Caprotti depicting daily life within Ávila's walls, alongside sculptures by his son Óscar, a portrait attributed to Sorolla, and a bust of Christ attributed to Vasco de la Zarza.

Where does the palace's name come from? From the Count of Superunda and Marquis of Bermudo, who inherited the building in the 19th century, even though it was built two centuries earlier for alderman Pedro Ochoa Aguirre.