Olite Castle, this is what a visit to the former Royal Palace of Navarre is like

Do you know that the castle royal palace of olite is the most visited monument in Navarra?

Indeed, more than 150.000 people each year visit this Navarrese monument, which is the best reflection of the splendor that the town of olite had during the Middle Ages.

Today, this castle, which was the residence of the kings of Navarre It is the great attraction to visit the beautiful town of Olite, 40 kilometers south of Pamplona, ​​in Navarra.

But if you don't know the history of the Royal Palace of Olite, you wouldn't imagine that this monument was almost completely destroyed in 1813 by a fire.

Curiosities about the history of the Royal Palace of Olite

This fire was started by General Espoz y Mina during the War of Independence with the aim of preventing the fortress from being occupied by the French troops who invaded Spain at the beginning of the 19th century.

In your visit to the Royal Palace of Olite castle You will have the opportunity to see photographs showing the deplorable state in which this fortress was before being completely restored.

The renovation work began in 1937 and lasted for 30 years.

The origins of Olite Castle They date back to a first fortress that was built during the 13th and 14th centuries on the remains of an ancient Roman fortress.

The result was what is known as the Old Palace, of which the walls and some tower remain, and which currently houses the facilities of the Olite Parador.

The great promoter of Olite castle was the king Charles III the Noble, who reigned in Navarra at the end of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century.

Of French origin and with a cultured spirit, with various extensions and modifications it led to the Royal Palace of Olite became one of the most luxurious palaces in Europe during the Middle Ages.

El New Palace, which is what you now know as Olite castle, was built in French Gothic style.

But after the disappearance of the Kingdom of Navarra in 1512 after his union with Castilla, the palace lost prominence, and little by little it deteriorated.

The fire of the War of independence This resulted in only the remains of the fortress structure remaining standing, as you will see in the model we have discussed and will see during your visit.

At the time of carrying out the reconstruction, there was no exact knowledge of the architectural details of the Royal Palace of Olite, which had been destroyed for more than 120 years.

For this reason the architects took certain liberties when constructing the building that you can now visit, such as the slate roofs with which the towers are crowned, similar in style to that of the Alcazar of Segovia, also completely rebuilt.

This termination of the towers is characteristic of French castles.

What to see when visiting the Royal Palace of Olite castle

In any case, when you go through the castle Royal Palace of Olite you have the feeling of being in a great medieval fortress de Gothic style, and you can still imagine the kings, the courtiers and the soldiers walking through its various rooms and walls.

And even more so if you coincide with the making of a period film (which is common in the Olite castle), just as it happened during my visit.

During the visit you will tour its walls made up of large stone walls and the entrance patios, in one of which an impressive mulberry tree will catch your attention.

Inside, the King's Room, and among the towers, the most prominent and spectacular is that of the Homenaje.

Of the interior decoration of the castle, only that of the Chamber of the Casts, since the rest of the units suffered the consequences of the aforementioned fire.

Visiting hours of the Royal Palace of Olite

The Visiting hours of the Royal Palace of Olite castle They vary depending on the time of year, being, for example, in July and August, every day of the week, from 10 a.m. to 20 p.m., and during Holy Week, from 10 a.m. to 19 p.m.

For your visit, here you can consult the Updated opening hours for Olite Castle.

ticket prices 

The ticket prices for free visit On your own it is 4,40 euros for adults; 2,50 euros for children from 6 to 13 years old, seniors +65 and youth card; and free for children under 6 years old.

Visit to the church of Santa Maria la Real in Olite

Tu visit of Olite castle It will be incomplete if you do not also visit the next one church of Santa María la Real.

It is one of the surprises that you will find in your Visit to Olite Castle, which you find wall to wall, and with their respective entrances only separated by a portico.

Here you will discover the imposing and beautiful façade of the aforementioned church, whose origins date back to the 12th century.

La church of Santa María de Olite is an example of Gothic architecture.

This is a building that does not hide the influence of French workshops, the best example of which is its very beautiful façade.

In front of it you will find an archway that serves the purpose of extolling the importance of its spectacular façade.

This is the façade of the church of Santa María la Real

Under a large rose window is the large doorway with eight archivolts decorated with plants. On both sides of the doorway there are reliefs with the figures of the apostles, arranged in arches.

For its part, the tympanum of the cover shows the Virgin as the main figure, around which various scenes develop.

In short, an artistic corner that is well worth stopping to appreciate before entering the church.

On Interior of the Church of Santa Maria You will find a single nave with a clear Gothic style configuration. There the greatest artistic attraction is found in the great renaissance altarpiece XNUMXth century.

There are two figures that stand out. On the one hand, a gothic carving from the 14th century Madonna and Child, and on the other, at the top, the image of the Christ of the Good Death, also a Gothic work from the same century.