Palace of the Rios and Selcedo in Soria

The Palacio de los Rios y Selcedo is a Renaissance palace from the 16th century, located on Zapatería Street, near Plaza Mayor. It is one of the most beautiful and most historic palaces in Soria, which belonged to the influential Rios y Selcedo family, which had a large stake in the political and economic life of the city. It is currently the seat of the Government Delegation in Soria.




The palace was built in 1549 at the initiative of Alonso del Río y Selcedo, who was a member of the Doce Linajes, a noble lineage that held power in Soria in the Middle Ages. Alonso was also a wealthy wool trader, who was involved in trashumancia, i.e., the seasonal movement of sheep flocks between Castile and Extremadura. The palace was therefore an expression of his prestige and wealth.




The palace has a rectangular plan and consists of two floors and an attic. On the ground floor, there is a portico with five arcades, which leads to a patio with columns and arcades. On the first floor, there is an imposing facade with five windows, the middle one is larger and adorned with the family’s coat of arms. On the second floor, there are smaller windows with straight pediments. At the top of the building, there is an attic with a balustrade and a royal coat of arms. The facade is made of red sandstone, which contrasts with the white plaster.




The interior of the palace is divided into four parts: zaguán, patio, salón, and alcoba. The zaguán is the entrance room, where there are stairs and doors to the patio. The patio is the central place, where there is a well and a fountain. The salón is the main room, where there is a fireplace and a ceiling with painted coats of arms. The alcoba is a bedroom, where there is a bed and a wardrobe. In the palace, you can admire many decorative elements, such as stuccos, frescoes, furniture, tapestries, paintings, and sculptures.