Even on my fourth visit to Seville, I’m still discovering new and remarkable things. Today I spent a couple of hours somewhere I’d never been: the Palacio de las Dueñas, the Andalusian residence of the House of Alba.
I’m not sure how this palace, built in the late fifteenth century, escaped my radar, or why it seems to have escaped everyone else’s. On a winter afternoon when Seville otherwise felt crowded, there were only about thirty visitors wandering the grounds.
The gardens are striking, as is the architecture. Elements of Mudéjar—a style developed by Muslim craftsmen working under Christian rule, characterized by patterning and an emphasis on surface rather than imagery—are woven throughout the complex. A geometric wooden ceiling above the main staircase, tilework lining the halls, and a series of spacious courtyards organized around fountains.
The history of the House of Alba is its own kind of spectacle. The current head of the house, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba, lives a relatively private life. His mother, Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba, did not. Described as an “unconventional aristocrat” in her New York Times obituary, she was recognized by Guinness World Records as the noble with the most official titles in the world—more than forty. She was a direct descendant of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a childhood playmate of Queen Elizabeth II. As the Times also notes, she also drew attention for her cosmetic surgery and her fondness for hippie-style hats and brightly flowered dresses—and she held the right to ride on horseback into Seville Cathedral. Good for her.
Touching mementos appear throughout the palace. Family photographs of the House of Alba and their famous visitors—including Jackie O., Prince Rainier, and Grace Kelly—sit casually atop tables.
As a dance lover, I was tickled to learn that the Duchess of Alba enjoyed flamenco and had a small stage built inside the palace for her to practice and perform. The stage, and her flamenco dresses, are on prominent display.
One month in Seville 
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