He Gosálvez Palacea mansion built at the beginning of the last century in Casas de Benítez (Cuenca), near the Júcar River, is not going through its best moment. In its day it was the luxurious residence of the industrialist Enrique Gonsálvez and his extended family, but the building has been suffering plunder and abandonment for decades to the despair of the neighbors. Or at least it has been until now. In March the news broke that the mansion was changing hands to be reborn as accommodation and event venue.
The question is whether the known as “Versailles of Cuenca” Will he be reborn or will he only write one more chapter in the sad chronicle that he has dragged on for decades.
An unknown gem. They know him as “the Versailles of Cuenca” either “from La Mancha” and (although without reaching the size or splendor of the French building) the truth is that the Gosálvez Palace It is a gem worthy of admiration.
In fact, this old palatial residence built around 1900 in the province of Cuenca by order of the businessman Enrique Gosálvez is cataloged as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), attracts the interest of hundreds of visitors and even has its own ‘admirers’ associationa group that has been calling for some time to stop the deterioration that the property has suffered for decades.
Is it that important? arrives with take a look to the Catalog of Cultural Heritage of the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha to understand that the palace is a unique piece. Both from a historical and architectural point of view. The construction is of French inspiration, “a little Versailles” very much in line with the palaces that were built in the north of Spain at the beginning of the 20th century. There, in its nearly 20 rooms, the industrialist Enrique Gosálvez once lived with his very extensive progeny between luxuries, elegant furniture and sumptuous gardens.
Beyond the architectural interest of the palace, the complex includes additional pieces, such as towers, a neo-Gothic style chapel, a gazebo… and an extensive garden that, remembers the Department of Cultureis a reason in itself to visit the farm. “Some species are unique in the Community of Castilla-La Mancha,” he highlights. As if that were not enough, among its decoration the palace included a fountain popularly known as “The Tsarina”a gift (it is said) that the wife of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II gave to Enrique Gosálvez.
A gem in low hours. Neither its splendor nor its rich history prevented the palace from ending up in the worst possible way: ruined after the death of Gosálvez. Although it is protected as a BIC, the construction has clearly deteriorated until it fell into disrepair. “red list” of Hispania Nostra, a list that includes Spanish heritage “at risk of disappearance.” Over there is warned that the building is the victim of decades of “disastrous neglect” and “mutilations” that have caused the structure to degrade and suffer looting.
A ray of hope. The future of the property seemed to change a few months ago, when he became interested in it a swiss couple who set out to recover it with a clear purpose: to dedicate it to accommodation, social events and visits. at least like this He published it in March. elDiario.es, which reported that the couple had taken ownership of the venue. They themselves had taken care of announce it through Instagram, from an account in which he accumulates 24,400 followers.
The news of the change of owners was echoed other media premises and even the Friends of the Gosálvez Palace and its Surroundings Association through your Facebook account. The issue was actually discussed at an extraordinary assembly in August. “The good news of the change of owners and their interest in bringing the palace and its surroundings back to life have been paralleled by a renewed interest from many heritage lovers to be part of the association,” celebrated.
Perfect, right? Not at all. On Monday The Confidential public a chronicle that updates the situation of the palace and shows that its recovery is probably not going to progress as quickly as the Swiss couple wanted. The land has been cleaned and cleared, but when the new owners wanted to touch the construction, Heritage put the brakes on them. At least that’s what it says another post published on the same Instagram account at the beginning of October.
“We have been informed that neither basic maintenance work, nor provisional protection of the building, nor removal of debris are authorized.” The authors of the post remember that the mansion is a BIC, a figure that “in theory” seeks to protect the heritage, but in his opinion “in many cases” achieves the “opposite” effect.
“The immense bureaucratic and administrative regulation to obtain permits means that no one dares to restore them since costs multiply and work times are prolonged,” abound. “This makes any investment unfeasible, both by individuals and public administrations. This is the reason why we find countless BIC buildings in ruins. The intention of wanting to save buildings does not matter. Only respect for rules that are impossible to comply with.”
“They were a little wrong”. The Confidential has interviewed also to the mayor of Casas de Benítez, the municipal area in which the mansion stands. In his opinion, the couple has been optimistic. “They were a little wrong about what this process entails,” he reflects. “They believed that everything could be managed with the City Council and I accompanied them to Cuenca so that they could see that each step must be approved by Heritage. They discovered that it was going to be longer and more expensive than expected. They planned to make it profitable in three months with garden parties.”
Pedro Pablo Correas, from the Association of Friends of the Palace, clarify also that “they have only been asked to meet certain minimums”, such as “that there be an architect in charge of the project.” “This couple came from renovating a spectacular neo-Mudejar palace on the Caudete estate, in Alicante. There they did whatever they wanted, also using volunteers, and they thought it was all about oregano, but this is a BIC and things don’t work like that,” relates to the same medium Daniel Pedrero, manager of Cultural Heritage. “The palace is falling apart, you can’t put volunteers in there, at least they have to be insured.”
And now what? The post October 5th ends with a firm declaration: “What happens now? We do not give up, we continue fighting to fulfill our dream and that of many people of seeing the Gosálvez Palace shine again in its best era.” At the moment, the old mansion from the beginning of the 20th century, which experienced its years of splendor in the last century, continues to appear on the “red list” of Hispania Nostra, where is remembered that the building and garden were purchased to be reborn as a hotel complex, but for now they remain in the same situation as before.
Images | Xataka and JCCM-Culture of Castilla-La Mancha
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