Guadalajara - Palacio del Duque del Infantado

The Palacio del Duque del Infantado, in a style which mingles Late Gothic and Mudéjar features, was built for the Mendoza family between 1461 and 1480 by the French-born architect Juan Guas, and ranks as one of his finest achievements. King Francis I of France was sumptuously received in the palace after being taken prisoner in the battle of Pavia (1525), and Philip II married Elisabeth de Valois here. During the Civil War the palace was largely destroyed but was subsequently rebuilt. The facade has faceted stonework and is topped by a projecting gallery with finely carved columns. It has a beautiful two-story Isabelline patio.