Castillo de Viñuelas

Tres Cantos, Spain, Spain

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Castillo de Viñuelas is a striking 18th-century fortified palace nestled in the scenic Soto de Viñuelas natural reserve near Tres Cantos, within Madrid's municipality, Spain.

First documented in 1285 when King Sancho IV granted the lands, it evolved from a medieval hunting lodge commissioned by Henry III in 1405 into its current square layout with four cylindrical corner towers, ornate north facade featuring a portico balcony and coat of arms, and interiors boasting a grand Weapons Room with ribbed ceilings, French fireplaces, and medieval stonework from Segovia.

Owned by nobility like the Mendoza family and later Spanish monarchs including Charles I, Philip V, and Ferdinand VI, it served as a royal hunting estate, Republican Army headquarters during the Civil War, and Franco's residence before becoming a premier event venue today amid over 3,000 hectares of oak forests and trails.