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From the Tourist Information Office-Interpretation Centre, we begin our 18th century itinerary. Walking up towards the right, to the street called calle Floridablanca, we find ahead of us the Royal Coliseum-Theatre, Real Coliseo Carlos III (17).
In calle Floridablanca, we find other buildings built during that century, such as the Boarding House of the Milanese, or Fonda de los Milaneses (18), which has one façade giving on to calle Floridablanca and another on to calle San Antón.
At the end of calle Floridablanca, crossing the square called la Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia and at the beginning of Station Road, or Ctra. de la Estación, we can see on the left the House of the Families of the Princes, or Casa de Familias de los Infantes D. Carlos María Isidro y D. Francisco de Paula (19), currently the Euroforum Infantes educational and conference centre.
Turning back the way we came, from the Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia we stroll along King Street, or calle del Rey, and we come across the Cocheras del Rey (20), or King's Coach House.
Walking up calle Patriarca we enter a pedestrian area, called calle Juan de Leyva, where we can see another of the works of Juan de Villanueva: the Rental House of the Marquis of Campo Villar, Casa para arrendar del Marqués de Campo Villar (21). Returning to calle del Rey, one of the most important buildings is the French Consul's House, Casa del Cónsul de Francia (22), the first work Villanueva undertook in the town.
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If we continue to proceed up this road, we come to the house known as Casa de Mozos Aguadores de las Reales Servidumbres y la Cabruna (23), dating from 1775 and the work of Juan Esteban, conserving at the current time its four floors.
The House of the Families of the Secretaries, or Casa de Familias de la Secretaria, later known as Conde de Ricla (24), a member of the nobility who owned it from 1772, can be recognized by its current pinkish colour. This building, which covers the whole block, has its main entrance in the street in which we find ourselves.
Having arrived at the street calle de San Antón, and if we turn to the left, we can see the House of Francisco Martínez de Sobral, Casa de D. Francisco Martínez de Sobral (25).
Returning once more to the calle del Rey, another private residence built by Juan Esteban in 1771, specifically in Plaza de San Lorenzo, is the Casa de D. Felipe Díaz Bamonte (26). Turing to the right, we go along calle Duque de Medinaceli, as here we find another house, la Casa del Duque de Arcos, later called Alba (27), and also the Casa del Duque de Medinaceli (28).
Once again, we retrace our steps to the Plaza de San Lorenzo, where we take the calle Reina Victoria in which we find the House of the Shops or Columns, Casa de las Tiendas o las Columnas (29).
Further along, we discover the main square, the Plaza de la Constitución. We are now in the centre of the town and turning towards calle de las Pozas we can admire the Barracks for Invalids and Volunteers on Horseback, Cuartel de Inválidos y Voluntarios a Caballo (30). Next to it, we find the public market, Mercado Público (31), a building which originally was a "Large house for storing wines, grocery articles, fish, bacon and other branches and rooms". These days, nothing remains of the building built there in 1797.
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Continuing along the street in an uphill direction, we reach one of the buildings that has maintained its healthcare function to our days: the Hospital San Carlos (32). It was built by Juan Esteban in the year 1771, and was recently restored.
Retracing our steps, we walk alongside the Town Hall building, or Ayuntamiento, until we get to calle Gobernador, where we discover the building of the Magistrate's House, Casa del Alcalde Mayor (33).
Close ahead of us, in calle Floridablanca, we see the Third House of Trades, Tercera Casa de Oficios (34), also known as that of the First Secretary of State, Primer Secretario de Estado.
If we continue to walk downhill along calle Floridablanca, we find some stairs to our right, which lead to the calle Capilla, which we walk down until we reach the Lonja area, the stone forecourt of the Monastery. With the Monastery on our left, we walk in front of the House of the Princes and the Queen, Casa de los Infantes y la Reina (35).
The walk through the 18th century culminates in the path that takes us to the Upper Prince's Pavilion, Casita del Infante (36), which is located about 1km from our present location, off the Paseo de Carlos III. |
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