THE ARTATZA PALACE
The Artatza Jauregia Palace is located in the centre of the park that bears its name, covering almost 300,000 m2, in the Arenal de Artatza.
The building is the result of the economic and industrial flourishing that took place in Bizkaia during the first decades of the 20th century.
It was built by the architect Manuel María Smith in 1914 for the businessman Víctor Chávarri, Marquis of Triano.
It is one of Smith’s most distinctive works, built following the English Queen Anne style, typified by the varied interplay of roof and chimney volumes and the asymmetry of the ensemble, the combination of materials such as stone and exposed red brick, and the adoption of very different styles for the windows, among other features.
Architect Smith added his personal touch to this English style, introducing features of the neo-Vasco style, such as timber framing and steeper pitched roofs.
From the road to La Avanzada, the main entrance is lined by two identical lions carved in stone on cylindrical pillars of exposed brick.
These pillars join the Tudor arch, which, from the gatehouse, provided access to the house along a tree-lined path.
Adjacent to the entrance there is a restaurant where you can have a drink before or after your stroll.
The main porch of the building, presided over by the family coat of arms, leads to a large vestibule that communicates with the small chapel, an office and a splendid hall with an upper gallery inspired by the courtyard of the Convent of San Gregorio in Valladolid, with magnificent stained glass windows and panelled ceilings.
Following this, two large lounges with fireplaces and a dining room are connected to a conservatory.
This floor also contained a dining room, children’s quarters and some guest bedrooms with their living room, wardrobe and bathroom, each with its own separate access from the outside.
The central area housed the servants’ quarters, which had their own entrance and included large rooms for the kitchen, scullery, pantry, servants’ dining room and laundry.
A basement with a cellar, a pantry, a room for heating and hot water, and a store room for coal and firewood and a storeroom could be accessed from these rooms.
In the wing opposite what we could call the “noble area” were the garage, stables, horse stalls, and workshop.
On the first floor, the main rooms for guests, children and servants were located in well-defined and independent areas, following the same layout as on the ground floor. There was also an infirmary on this floor.
The English influence was manifested in the architecture, the search for intimacy and privacy, and the interior decoration inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement.
The flat ceilings with simple plaster mouldings, the upholstered, papered or panelled walls, the marble, wooden parquet and hardwood floors, the furniture and even the plumbing followed the dictates of the English fashion that had such an influence on the lifestyle of many bourgeois homes.
Its gardens make up what is now Artatza Park, which surrounds the building and is open to the public.
There are children’s play areas and specially designated areas for dogs to roam free and at ease.
You can enjoy a magnificent stroll through the green fields, wooded areas and flowers while gazing at this spectacular palace.
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