| Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite | |
|---|---|
 South façade | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | First there was a Roman fortification, after a medieval castle and then a royal palace, currently is a hotel and a town sight |
| Architectural style | Gothic, some Mudéjar elements. |
| Location | Merindad de Olite, Navarre |
| Country | Spain |
| Coordinates | 42°28′54″N 01°38′58″W / 42.48167°N 1.64944°W |
| Opened | Roman rule, Navarrese rule. |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Saúl de Arnedo, Juan D'Espernou, other unknown. |
The Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite or Royal Palace of Olite is a castle-palace in the town of Olite, in Navarre, Spain. It was one of the seats of the Court of the Kingdom of Navarre, since the reign of Charles III "the Noble" until its conquest by Castile (1512).
Surely there is no king with a more beautiful castle or palace and with so many gilded rooms (...) it could not say or even could imagine how magnificent and sumptuous is this palace (...)
— A 15th-century German traveller wrote his impressions in his diary, now conserved in the British Museum in London.[1]
This monument was quite damaged (except the church) in 1813 by a fire caused by general Espoz y Mina during the Napoleonic French Invasion to prevent its occupation by French troops. It was largely restored from 1937 in works that lasted for 30 years giving it back its original appearance. Nevertheless, miscellaneous architectural decoration of its interior, and the outside gardens, were lost.