Palacio del Infantado o del Condestable, Colindres

Palacio del Infantado, also known as Palacio del Condestable or de Alvarado, is a fortified noble residence in the San Juan neighbourhood of Colindres, Cantabria. Although it now stands in ruins, its two-tower layout still reveals the standing this building once held as the seat of a powerful family.

Who built the palace in Colindres?

The first building phase was started in the second half of the 14th century by Juan Sánchez de Oño. Only the western tower dates from that period — a square-plan tower under a four-sided roof. Everything else in the complex was added later. The property passed to Juan de Velasco in 1401, and in the 16th century it was acquired by the Alvarado family. It was the Alvarados who added the central section and the eastern tower, giving the building the appearance of a proper palace, with large, symmetrically placed windows.

What does the architecture look like?

Two towers linked by a lower, regular central body — this is a recognisable layout for a Cantabrian noble house of the period, not an isolated design choice but a local building type that combined residential and defensive functions. The walls were built in rubble masonry, while the corners, windows and doorways were finished in cut sandstone ashlar, a choice that both signalled the owners' status and reinforced the structurally critical points of the building.

What happened to it, and what condition is it in today?

The palace's decline is tied to a raid by French corsairs in 1639, after which the building was never restored and has remained in ruins ever since. Its state of conservation is described as very poor: the roofs have almost entirely collapsed, no internal structure survives beyond the bare walls, and one of the towers retains only a single wooden floor on one storey, itself in an advanced state of decay. Because of this ongoing deterioration, the palace is listed on Hispania Nostra's Red List, Spain's register of heritage sites at risk of disappearing.

Why is it still worth a visit?

Even without a roof or interiors, the palace remains a legible example of Cantabria's defensive architecture, from an era when local noble families built towers and fortified houses that combined dwelling space with defence. The contrast between its two towers — one from the 14th century, the other added later during the Renaissance-era expansion — offers a rare chance to trace two distinct phases of regional residential architecture in a single building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Palacio del Infantado in Colindres the same building as the famous Palacio del Infantado in Guadalajara? No. These are two separate buildings that happen to share a name. The Cantabrian palace in Colindres is much smaller, partly older, and has long stood in ruins, while the Guadalajara palace is a restored residence with a different history and architecture.

Where exactly is the palace located? In the San Juan neighbourhood of Colindres, in Cantabria, northern Spain.

Can visitors go inside the palace? The building is in a ruined state, with no surviving roofs and no internal structure beyond its walls, which limits access to the interior.

Why did the palace fall into ruin? The turning point was a raid by French corsairs in 1639, after which the building was never rebuilt and gradually deteriorated to its present condition.