The Ducal Palace of Gandia–Gandia –Spain From the 14th Century

The Ducal Palace of Gandia–Gandia –Spain:
The Ducal Palace of Gandia was, from the 14th century, the residence of the Royal Dukes of Gandía, and from 1485, the Borja family. It was the birthplace of Saint Francis Borja.Initially the Palace was designed as a civil Gothic style urban castle and was ultimately transformed into a comfortable fortified palace.A tour of the Ducal Palace of the Borgias is like experiencing the history of Gandia, a city that has adapted to changes over the centuries, just like this jewel of Valencian architecture. Each of the Palace rooms is full of tradition and culture, making them unique spaces in which to discover all the secrets of its golden history.A visit to this Palace is a must if you want to soak up some of the history of intrigues, love and heartbreaks, reaching back to a past in which values and customs were quite different, and where rooms and halls were made for sumptuous living.
MAIN FAÇADE:
One of the few remaining vestiges of the primitive construction of the Ducal Palace de Gandia is the current semi-circular voussoired arch at the main entrance to the building.
THE ARMS COURTYARD:
Through the main door of the Ducal Palace of the Borgias visitors first come upon the entrance hall, separated from the magnificent Arms Courtyard by an impressive segmental arch covered with a wooden ceiling decorated with 14th-century paintings.
CROWN HALL:
One of the most important rooms on the noble floor is undoubtedly the Crown Hall, which was remodelled in the days of Saint Francis Borja. Its name comes from the double crown that decorates the coffered ceiling. This double-crown emblem was used by Alexander VI as a symbol of his papal coronation, and his descendants later adopted it as their own.
NEOGOTHIC CHAPEL:
This was the office used by the Duke in the 16th century. After the acquisition of the palace by the Society of Jesus, the current chapel dedicated to Saint Francis Borja was built, done by Brothers Martín Coronas and Orriols.
ORATORY, OR THE PRIVATE CHAPEL OF THE BORGIA DUKES:
The Oratory, which was reserved for the private worship of the Borgia family Dukes and Duchesses. This enclosure is a small chapel with a polygonal ceiling with walls that still preserve the Renaissance grisailles done by Filippo de San Leocadio.
THE DUCHESS’S CHAMBER:
According to tradition, this is the room where Saint Francis Borja was born.Of note amongst the decorative artistic elements are the ceramic floor tiles from the late 15th century, a fabric cushion with the Borgia coat of arms, and the chasuble of the Saint brought back from Rome.
THE EAGLES HALL:
Located on one side of the main façade of the noble floor is one of the first Baroque interventions in the building done by the Borgia family.Its name comes from the birds decorating the frieze, which is covered in gold leaf, and which was one of the main halls in the building in the days of the Borgia family.
THE GOLDEN GALLERY:
The “New Section” or the “Golden Gallery” ranks as one of the constructions that have lent the most beauty and character to the Ducal Palace. It is a highly significant architectural and artistic element within the monument, because it is an outstanding reflection of Valencian Baroque civil architecture.It was built by the 10th Duke of Gandia, Pascual Francis Borja Aragón y Centelles, in commemoration of the canonisation of Saint Francis Borja.