Our Legacy
Also known as Casa Albo, this architectural complex from the first third of the 18th century was built by Juan Cosme de Albo. It is located in the Barrio del Río, near the San Miguel path. The site includes a stately house in the Montañés style, a bridge, a cross or heraldic column displaying a coat of arms, and the walls enclosing the entire complex.
The Spanish-style coat of arms displays the arms of the Albo, Palacio, Arredondo, and Zorrilla families. Another Albo family crest, along with a cross at the top, is found on the heraldic column.
The Palace was commissioned by Manuel de Eguilior y Llaguno (1842-1931), who became Count of Albox in 1905 in recognition of his work, as a royal commissioner, to reconstruct the Almerian region of Valle de Almanzora, where the municipality of Albox is located, after the floods of 1891.
The Count of Albox held various government roles, such as Minister of Finance, Minister of Public Education and Fine Arts, and even Governor of the Bank of Spain. The Palace was constructed between 1900 and 1903 by the Santander architect Emilio de la Torriente, with the floor plan attributed to the Madrid architect A. Ferreras. Built in a rustic style, it exemplifies the modernist architectural style of the time, featuring a square layout with four pseudo-towers on the corners. The masonry of the walls stands out, contrasting with the quoins, large balconies, and a historicist entrance with clear modernist influences. The building was inaugurated as a National Tourist Parador on 13 February 2004.
The Parador de Limpias is located within the 60,000-square-metre estate of El Castañar, renowned for its botanical richness, with ash, chestnut, and maple trees, as well as unique specimens like century-old magnolias and laurels, some of which are listed as World Natural Heritage.
The Palace was commissioned by Manuel de Eguilior y Llaguno (1842-1931), who became Count of Albox in 1905 in recognition of his work, as a royal commissioner, to reconstruct the Almerian region of Valle de Almanzora, where the municipality of Albox is located, after the floods of 1891.
El Conde de Albos desempeñó diversos cargos gubernamentales como ministro de Hacienda, ministro de Instrucción Pública y Bellas Artes o incluso Gobernador del Banco de España. Levantado entre 1900 y 1903 por el arquitecto santanderino Emilio de la Torriente y diseño de la planta atribuido al arquitecto madrileño A. Ferreras. De estilo rústico, es un claro ejemplo del modernismo imperante en la época, un cubo con cuatro pseudo torres en las esquinas, donde sobresalen la mampostería de sus muros que contrasta con los esquinales, los grandes balcones y una portalada historicista con una clara derivación hacia el modernismo. El edificio fue inaugurado como Parador Nacional de Turismo el 13 de febrero de 2004.
The Parador de Limpias is located within the 60,000-square-metre estate of El Castañar, renowned for its botanical richness, with ash, chestnut, and maple trees, as well as unique specimens like century-old magnolias and laurels, some of which are listed as World Natural Heritage.
Also known as Casa Albo, this architectural complex from the first third of the 18th century was built by Juan Cosme de Albo. It is located in the Barrio del Río, near the San Miguel path. The site includes a stately house in the Montañés style, a bridge, a cross or heraldic column displaying a coat of arms, and the walls enclosing the entire complex.
The Spanish-style coat of arms displays the arms of the Albo, Palacio, Arredondo, and Zorrilla families. Another Albo family crest, along with a cross at the top, is found on the heraldic column.
A tower house located alongside the old Castile route in an area known as El Palacio. The building comprises a medieval section, represented by the tower, and a Renaissance-era section, represented by the adjacent house. The complex is listed in the General Inventory of Cantabrian Heritage. The tower dates from the late Middle Ages, built with rubble masonry and ashlars at the corners and openings. It preserves a pointed archway that serves as an entrance and a small pointed window on the east side of the building.
A rectangular structure was added to the original building in the mid-16th century. This extension includes a ground floor and a noble floor with a semi-circular arch doorway and a window displaying a coat of arms. The coat of arms displays in the first quarter the arms of Gil (three cross potent and a barred escutcheon); in the third quarter the arms of Palacio (two barred escutcheons within a third escutcheon); in the second and fourth quarters the arms of Alvarado.
In 1440, the house was the residence of Pedro Gil de Palacio and his wife María García de Alvarado, likely founders of the house. Tradition holds that in 1498, Juana la Loca (Joanna the Mad) stayed here on her way from Castile, passing through Laredo to Flanders, a likely scenario given the building's location along the old royal road.
The house may have been constructed adjacent to the tower by the son of the original owner, Pedro Gil de Palacio Alvarado, who, along with his wife María González de Alvarado, resided there in 1510. However, it is more probable that the house’s architectural style corresponds to the era of their son, Diego Sainz de Palacio Alvarado, married to María Sainz de Collado. The contrast between the volumes of the house and the tower perfectly reflects the Renaissance transformation of stately homes.
In 1594, the property belonged to Archdeacon Fernando de Palacio, whose tomb is located inside the parish church of San Pedro. He established an entailed estate in his will, granted in the city of Charcas, including the house and tower.
By 1630, Don Juan de Alvarado Velasco held lordship over the house and estate of Palacio in Limpias. He was a resident of Gibaja and steward of his son Don Jerónimo de Alvarado Velasco de Palacio’s assets.
In El Collado, there are preserved remnants and very old buildings, notably a house with a semi-circular arched doorway and a cylindrical corner on its façade, which belongs to the Counts of Limpias. On this rounded corner was the Cross of Collado, which marked – and still marks – the boundary with the jurisdiction of Ampuero. This house is depicted in historical maps of the area from the 17th century.
The Limpias Town Hall stands in Plaza de la Venera, featuring a rectangular structure arranged over two storeys. Its main façade includes two semi-circular arches that lead to a small portico, with doors giving access to the interior. On the second floor, two French doors open onto a long balcony, along with another French door on the right, where the town’s coat of arms is displayed.
The square’s name derives from its historical role as the deposit site for Somorrostro ore and iron from Limpias mines.
The Youth Centre of Limpias Built at the start of the 20th century, the Youth Centre of Limpias is located on municipal land near the protected area of the Church of Limpias, designated a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de interés cultural, BIC). Initially, this land was granted to a private individual with the aim of establishing a space for selling souvenirs linked to the Christ of Limpias. The original purpose of the building was to house the Old Bazaar and Christ Silversmith's, but over time, it was transformed into a bar and ultimately the present-day Youth Centre.
In the vicinity of the Puerto del Rivero, two houses, the House of Diego de la Piedra and the House of Pereda, stand side by side, both in the architectural style of stonemason Pedro de Toca Solórzano. Diego de la Piedra A native of Limpias, Diego de la Piedra was a Knight of the Order of Santiago and resided in Cádiz, where he held the title of Deputy of Trade and Consulate of Peru.
The Casa de Diego de la Piedra bears a crest crowned by a helmet and adorned with two mermaids who play horns and rest their feet on the heads of lions that serve as supports. The Cross of Santiago is placed behind the shield, which rests upon a grotesque mask with a quartered field.
The Casa de Pereda, located next to the Casa de don Diego de la Piedra, follows the typical style of Pedro de Toca Solórzano, featuring a two-storey cubic structure with an attic and a four-sided sloped roof.
The Youth Centre of Limpias Built at the start of the 20th century, the Youth Centre of Limpias is located on municipal land near the protected area of the Church of Limpias, designated a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de interés cultural, BIC). Initially, this land was granted to a private individual with the aim of establishing a space for selling souvenirs linked to the Christ of Limpias. The original purpose of the building was to house the Old Bazaar and Christ Silversmith's, but over time, it was transformed into a bar and ultimately the present-day Youth Centre.
In the vicinity of the Puerto del Rivero, two houses, the House of Diego de la Piedra and the House of Pereda, stand side by side, both in the architectural style of stonemason Pedro de Toca Solórzano. Diego de la Piedra A native of Limpias, Diego de la Piedra was a Knight of the Order of Santiago and resided in Cádiz, where he held the title of Deputy of Trade and Consulate of Peru.
The Casa de Diego de la Piedra bears a crest crowned by a helmet and adorned with two mermaids who play horns and rest their feet on the heads of lions that serve as supports. The Cross of Santiago is placed behind the shield, which rests upon a grotesque mask with a quartered field.
The Casa de Pereda, located next to the Casa de don Diego de la Piedra, follows the typical style of Pedro de Toca Solórzano, featuring a two-storey cubic structure with an attic and a four-sided sloped roof.
Located on San Miguel Street. One of the earliest references to civil buildings in Limpias dates back to the early 15th century, around the year 1403, mentioning the sale of a fortified house known as the Casa de la Piedra. This property was sold by the siblings Juan, Pedro, and María Sánchez de la Piedra and their family, children of Pero Sánchez de la Piedra, to Juan de Velasco (1368-1418), Count of Siruela, nobleman, and chief chamberlain to Henry III of Castile, who was part of a prominent lineage. Indeed, his father was the brother of Pedro López de Haro, Count of Haro.
The building has a rectangular layout and is constructed from limestone blocks at the corners. It consists of three floors separated by an impost. The façade runs parallel to the main road and features a small, projecting wrought-iron balcony. One side displays a coat of arms. Today, only two small pointed openings remain of the original tower on the north façade. The building now serves as the town’s House of Culture, hosting exhibitions, an assembly hall, the Sword Museum, the municipal library, and the Visitor Information Office.
The museo de las espadas de Limpias housed in the Casa de Cultura The Sword Museum of Limpias, housed in the Casa de Cultura, displays a collection of swords, sabres, falcatas, rapiers, daggers, and foils from different periods of Spanish history. It includes replicas of swords, helmets, and helms, notably the swords of the Duke of Alba, Christopher Columbus, Julius Caesar, Conquistador Francisco Pizarro, and Emperor Charles V. The collection also includes Corinthian, Roman, and impressive Crusader helmets, as well as shields such as the medieval Templar, the Bicéfala shield, and the shield of El Cid.
In the first half of the 19th century, specifically in 1861, the brothers Juan Manuel and Felipe Lombera (the Mardones family) founded a private residence on Atalaya Street.
Later, the property was acquired by the Mardones family, who donated it to the Daughters of the Cross in 1862, to be converted into a school. The school was known for its advanced educational approach and thrived until 1995. In 1999, the nuns transferred ownership to the Government of Cantabria to convert it into a residence for the elderly, which was finally inaugurated in 2011.
What was originally conceived as the "School Group" was designed in 1910 with plans by the architect A. Ferreras, who developed the design from Madrid. Construction began that same year under the supervision of architect Emilio de la Torriente. Today, this building houses the Asón Rural Grouped School (Colegio Rural Agrupado, C.R.A. Asón).
This educational centre was built in the area known as “Los Casares,” with construction lasting until 1912, although the building was not handed over to the town council until 1914. The building was largely funded by the Count of Albox (Manuel Eguilior y Llaguno), with the state covering the remaining costs. The building, designed for elementary education, had a capacity of over 125 students.
The building consisted of two pavilions connected by a central ground and main floor. In 1930, architect Emilio de la Torriente proposed a project to convert the “unitary school” into a “graded school.”
What was originally conceived as the "School Group" was designed in 1910 with plans by the architect A. Ferreras, who developed the design from Madrid. Construction began that same year under the supervision of architect Emilio de la Torriente. Today, this building houses the Asón Rural Grouped School (Colegio Rural Agrupado, C.R.A. Asón).
This educational centre was built in the area known as “Los Casares,” with construction lasting until 1912, although the building was not handed over to the town council until 1914. The building was largely funded by the Count of Albox (Manuel Eguilior y Llaguno), with the state covering the remaining costs. The building, designed for elementary education, had a capacity of over 125 students.
The building consisted of two pavilions connected by a central ground and main floor. In 1930, architect Emilio de la Torriente proposed a project to convert the “unitary school” into a “graded school.”
In the first half of the 19th century, specifically in 1861, the brothers Juan Manuel and Felipe Lombera (the Mardones family) founded a private residence on Atalaya Street.
Later, the property was acquired by the Mardones family, who donated it to the Daughters of the Cross in 1862, to be converted into a school. The school was known for its advanced educational approach and thrived until 1995. In 1999, the nuns transferred ownership to the Government of Cantabria to convert it into a residence for the elderly, which was finally inaugurated in 2011.
In the late 19th century, the townspeople wanted to establish a school, and the then-mayor, Don Esteban Pereda, sought the assistance of the Vincentian Fathers to bring missionaries to build one. On 13 September 1893, three priests and two lay brothers arrived in the town and settled in an old house opposite the El Cristo Church. This first school, known as “El Caserón”, began lessons on 1 October of that same year with twelve students.
Four years later, in 1897, the condition of the House-School created the need to find a plot of land to build a new centre, which is now located on Rivero Street. The construction was completed in 1900, allowing the school year of 1900-1901 to commence in the new building. By 1915, the school had more than 100 students from nearby areas like Santander and further afield, such as Bilbao and Palencia.
Political changes led to a temporary closure in the 1930s, converting the school into a minor seminary, but teaching resumed a decade later. This closure occurred again between 1950 and 1958. With more than 200 students enrolled by 1962, the school expanded with sports facilities and began offering primary, secondary, and baccalaureate classes. Pre-school education was added in the early 2000s.
La Casa Lonja and the Rivero Fluvial Port are two of the most emblematic architectural elements of the Rivero District, where other monumental buildings can also be found. La Casa Lonja and the Rivero Fluvial Port were declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2009.
In 1732, Major Sergeant Don José del Rivero Palacio sent money from Mexico as a legacy to fund the construction of a granary house, complete with a charity chest and a pawnshop. The residents, gathered on 26th November of the same year, decided to use the funds for the construction of this Port Warehouse.
The construction of this new building in the following years was undertaken by the master stonemason Pedro Toca Solórzano, with its completion around 1736. Both the Casa Lonja and the port stand as silent witnesses to the maritime splendour Limpias once enjoyed as one of the main ports of Castile.
The Casa Lonja that still stands today was constructed using sandstone ashlar and consists of two storeys, separated by a string course. It has an open central courtyard and several storage rooms, with a notable rounded corner on one side, which imparts a particularly distinctive architectural character to the building.
The person responsible for constructing the Casa Lonja, as well as for refurbishing the old river port throughout the 1730s, specifically in 1736, was the master stonemason Pedro Toca Solórzano. The building and the quay coexist in a perfect architectural symbiosis, forming a unified ensemble that blends harmoniously with the banks of the Asón estuary.
During the early 18th century, the port witnessed intense maritime activity along the Asón estuary, further fuelled by the establishment of forges, hammer mills, and an anchor factory nearby. The proliferation of these ironworks and hammers in the area was due to the vital importance of iron production, which, once processed, was shipped through the Puerto del Rivero in Limpias.
The functioning of this port was associated with a series of buildings or warehouses along the Asón River, which served multiple purposes and were mainly intended for the storage, loading, and unloading of goods, as well as for the lodging of travellers and as a tavern. The Puerto del Rivero is made of ashlar stone and is adapted with a solution of ramps and stairs. Its construction led to an interesting commercial boom for the municipality, through transactions that facilitated the export of iron goods, chestnuts, corn, and wheat, as well as the redistribution of oil, cod, plaster, coal from Soba and Carranza, iron from Biscay, brandy, fruits, "chacolí" (a type of Basque wine), flour, fats, and soap.
This port and its optimal location made it a key point for the import and export of products from the entire area, and even from Castile. During the 18th century, its importance was considerable, and it became the entry point for Biscayan ore to supply the ironworks in Carranza, Soba, and Rasines, which were transported by ox teams from the loading area to their final destinations. The scale and impact of the port activity in Limpias at that time is reflected in documents from the period. In 1737, Sebastián Ortiz del Hoyo, a resident of Santoña, shipped two ships of chestnuts from this port to Holland, the first of which carried a load of 1,236 "fanegas." The "fanega" was a measure of capacity used for grain, equivalent in Castile to approximately 55.5 litres.
Its economic importance became so significant that the renowned geographer Pascual Madoz, in the mid-19th century, cited the economic data generated by this port infrastructure in his work “Diccionario geográfico-estadístico de España y sus posesiones de ultramar” (Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Spain and Its Overseas Possessions). Between 1822 and 1833, all types of vessels, including launches, schooners, and small boats, docked here to load all kinds of products.
In addition to the goods trade, from 1845 onwards, a direct shipping line from the Puerto del Rivero to Havana operated with sailing ships owned by Mr Suárez, a local shipowner, with voyages that could last up to two months. Between 1863 and 1868, an average of one ship docked every two days.
In 1702-1703, there was a project for the construction of a warehouse and a royal canal at Pieragullano, very close to the current warehouse. It wasn't until 26th November 1732, during a meeting of the then Town Council of Limpias, that the funds left by Don José del Rivero Palacio, a native of the town who resided in Mexico City at the time of his death, were to be used for the construction of a warehouse or granary. The legacy was intended to fund the construction of a house to be used as a warehouse or granary. Ultimately, a building was constructed to store, among other products, iron from nearby ironworks, chestnuts from the surrounding areas, and other goods, which were then exported through the Puerto del Rivero. This building, in addition to being used as a warehouse, also served as a residence, with rooms for port workers, passengers, and a tavern.
Plans and specifications for the construction of the house were drawn up by the master stonemason from the neighbouring municipality of Guriezo, Alonso Martínez. In 1734, the stonemason Pedro de Toca Solórzano stated that the house commissioned by the town council of Limpias at the Rivero was not yet finished, and requested that the council appoint masters to inspect the stonework and carpentry, as well as set a price for the improvements that had been made.
The plans for the building intended as a warehouse described that the ground floor would be used for storage, accessible through a door, with a staircase immediately adjacent to it. The first floor was to be divided into four separate sections or storerooms. The second floor was described as the main floor. Access was to be via the previously mentioned stairs. The second floor contained the kitchen with its hearth and chimney, a dining room, three small rooms, and two alcoves.
For over 140 years, this building maintained its use as a warehouse, coinciding with the significant port activity at the Puerto del Rivero. Thus, in the year 1876, Don Juan Aguirre, a resident of the town of Limpias, offered six hundred and forty reales as rent for the Casa Lonja for one year. (Reales were a form of Spanish currency used up until the late 19th century, eventually replaced by the peseta in 1868 but still in circulation during a transitional period.) The municipal tax on the iron ore deposited in public spaces, such as the Venera of the town, was also auctioned. At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1903, a file was opened at the request of Don Ernesto Jalabert, who sought authorisation to install a scale for weighing minerals at the port itself. He acted on behalf of the Franco-Spanish Mining and Metallurgical Company. It was stated that he had a contract to store minerals on the ground floor of the town hall building.
The building that is currently preserved is made of ashlar sandstone and consists of two floors, separated by a string course. The Casa Lonja features a layout with an open central courtyard and several storage rooms, with a notable rounded corner solution on one side, which gives the building a particularly distinctive architectural characteristic. In addition to its stone exterior walls, the building has windows made of ashlar stone, pillars on the ground floor made of stone blocks, and wooden beams and capitals. On the first floor, there are wooden beams and pillars, with a ceiling of reed and plaster, and a roof of wooden beams and rafters, with planking and curved tiles. The floor on the ground floor is partially made of stone slabs, with a layer of concrete in some areas.
This limestone building is arguably the most imposing structure in Limpias. It was commissioned in 1733–1734 by Don Roque del Rivero Palacio, who entrusted master stonemason Pedro de Toca Solórzano with its construction as his residence. On 24 July 1734, the contract was formalised for a sum of 6,000 pesos of 8 reales each, covering both masonry and carpentry work.
The works were carried out by Pedro de Toca Solórzano, supported by his father, Pedro de Toca Ano, also a master stonemason and guarantor. This house marks the beginning of a type of large building whose architectural features would later be replicated in nearby towns such as Treto and Bárcena de Cicero.
The building itself is rectangular in plan, constructed from limestone ashlar. It consists of three floors and an attic, separated by a moulded string course. The façade runs parallel to the Camino Real and features an entrance door on the ground floor, topped with a segmented arch framed by pilasters. The first floor has three projecting balconies accessible via French doors, each enclosed with wrought-iron railings. On the second floor, a large balcony spans the entire façade, featuring a prominent parapet and balustraded with ironwork. Access is also via three French doors, with the central door flanked by pilasters. Family coats of arms are displayed on both sides of the façade. The upper section is finished with a moulded cornice.
In the 19th century, a tower lookout was added on the southeast side, topped with battlements. At the top of the tower, a large coat of arms stands out, bearing the inscription: THE MOST EXCELLENT LADY DOÑA JOSEFINA TREVILLA DEL RIVERO, COUNTESS OF LIMPIAS, RESTORED THIS TOWER AND ALL THE WING OF THE PALACE GARDEN IN THE YEAR 1891." Below, there is a set of three windows, each separated by columns, with the central window framed by a pointed arch. The title of Countess was granted on 4 October 1881 by His Majesty King Alfonso XII to Doña Serafina de Trevilla y Ladrón de Guevara, Vallejo y Ubilla de Salazar, widow of Don Antonio Cirilo del Rivero de Trevilla, of Alvarado-Velasco and Field Marshal, in recognition of the achievements of her husband. He was the military engineer responsible (together with Saturnino Fernández) for the project that completed the fortifications of Santoña. The family tomb is located in the parish church of San Pedro.
On the façade, there are two escutcheons topped with a forward-facing helmet, supported by four cherubs that flank the piece, with a grotesque mask below the tip and foliate decoration.
