The story of this place
On the site of a 10th-century Muslim fortress, King Pedro I of Castile—'the Cruel' or 'the Just'—built the Palacio de Don Pedro in 1364, importing Mudéjar craftsmen from Granada and Toledo. The result is a Christian ruler's palace covered in Arabic inscriptions praising Allah, its Courtyard of the Maidens a lattice of plasterwork and azulejo tile. Here Isabella and Ferdinand later planned New World voyages, and the Casa de Contratación regulated the entire trade with the Americas. Still an official royal residence, the oldest in Europe in continuous use, it doubled as Dorne in 'Game of Thrones,' its sunken baths and gardens instantly recognisable to millions.