Palacio de Miramar (Miramar Palace), San Sebastian (must see)
Miramar Palace rises between La Concha and Ondarreta beaches, a reminder of the moment San Sebasti谩n swapped its fortified past for royal summers and high society. The story began in the mid-19th century, when Queen Isabel II turned to the city鈥檚 waters for relief from her ailments, drawing Spain鈥檚 elite in her wake. Her successor, Queen Mar铆a Cristina, widow of Alfonso XII, sealed the city鈥檚 status as a seasonal capital by commissioning a proper residence fit for a royal court.
Completed in 1893, the palace was the work of English architect Selden Wornum, who imported Tudor country house flair to the Basque coast. Gables, red brick, and Neo-Gothic touches created a decidedly British silhouette against the Bay of Biscay, while gardens rolled theatrically toward the sea. This deliberate departure from local style signaled cosmopolitan ambition at the height of San Sebasti谩n鈥檚 Belle 脡poque. The Prince鈥檚 Pavilion, added in 1920, expanded the complex for a new generation of royals.
Political upheavals reshaped the palace鈥檚 fate. Abolished monarchy in 1931 meant a transfer of ownership to the city, though Franco later handed it back to the crown. By 1972, San Sebasti谩n reclaimed the estate for good. Over the years, the palace adapted: a university, a school, and eventually a cultural venue.
Miramar Municipal Palace balances nostalgia with activity. Visitors find historic interiors-the White Room, Music Room, Library, and Royal Dining Room-largely intact, while cultural events and parts of the San Sebasti谩n Film Festival give the building fresh life. The gardens, open to all, remain the real treasure, offering sweeping views of La Concha Bay and Santa Clara Island. Here, the city鈥檚 royal past and cultural present continue their dialogue in the open air.
Completed in 1893, the palace was the work of English architect Selden Wornum, who imported Tudor country house flair to the Basque coast. Gables, red brick, and Neo-Gothic touches created a decidedly British silhouette against the Bay of Biscay, while gardens rolled theatrically toward the sea. This deliberate departure from local style signaled cosmopolitan ambition at the height of San Sebasti谩n鈥檚 Belle 脡poque. The Prince鈥檚 Pavilion, added in 1920, expanded the complex for a new generation of royals.
Political upheavals reshaped the palace鈥檚 fate. Abolished monarchy in 1931 meant a transfer of ownership to the city, though Franco later handed it back to the crown. By 1972, San Sebasti谩n reclaimed the estate for good. Over the years, the palace adapted: a university, a school, and eventually a cultural venue.
Miramar Municipal Palace balances nostalgia with activity. Visitors find historic interiors-the White Room, Music Room, Library, and Royal Dining Room-largely intact, while cultural events and parts of the San Sebasti谩n Film Festival give the building fresh life. The gardens, open to all, remain the real treasure, offering sweeping views of La Concha Bay and Santa Clara Island. Here, the city鈥檚 royal past and cultural present continue their dialogue in the open air.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Sebastian. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Palacio de Miramar (Miramar Palace) on Map
Sight Name: Palacio de Miramar (Miramar Palace)
Sight Location: San Sebastian, Spain (See walking tours in San Sebastian)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: San Sebastian, Spain (See walking tours in San Sebastian)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in San Sebastian, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in San Sebastian
Creating your own self-guided walk in San Sebastian is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Mount Urgull Walking Tour
Mount Urgull is a promontory stretching out at the eastern end of La Concha Bay, surrounded by water on all sides, except the one linking it to the Old Town of San Sebastian. Historically, this mount, rising 123 meters above sea level, served as a strategic defense point for the city, attesting to which now are the remnants of old fortifications with cannons still in place.
From its elevated... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
From its elevated... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
San Sebastian Introduction Walking Tour
After watching bulls run around in Pamplona, Ernest Hemingway took a relaxing trip up north. He enjoyed the calmness of the shoreline so much that he vividly described it in his novel The Sun Also Rises. The city that appealed to Hemingway was San Sebasti谩n-known in Basque as Donostia.
The city takes its name from Saint Sebastian, the early Christian martyr whose cult spread widely through... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
The city takes its name from Saint Sebastian, the early Christian martyr whose cult spread widely through... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles