Palacio de Aguirre, Cartagena
A corner palace of carved stone and tile, raised on mining money, now home to the region’s modern art.
At a glance
The Palacio de Aguirre commands a corner of Cartagena, one of the finest Modernista buildings by Víctor Beltrí, the architect who shaped the city around 1900. He built it between 1898 and 1901 for Camilo Aguirre, an industrialist enriched by the region’s mines, on the site of a former convent. It now houses the Regional Museum of Modern Art (MURAM).
Key facts
- Location: Plaza de la Merced, Cartagena
- Architect: Víctor Beltrí
- Built: 1898–1901
- Style: Spanish Modernismo (Art Nouveau)
- Today: MURAM, Regional Museum of Modern Art
History
Cartagena’s mining boom made fortunes, and Camilo Aguirre wanted a palace to match his. Beltrí, recently arrived from the Catalan school, designed it on the cleared ground of an old convent, finishing in 1901.
He combined carved stone, ironwork and ceramic in the Modernista manner, with a corner tower crowning the composition. Restored, the palace was given to the region’s modern art museum, MURAM, which it still houses.
What you see
The building turns the corner with a domed tower, its façades worked in carved stone, wrought iron and bands of ceramic tile. Galleried balconies and floral ornament mark it as Modernista. Inside, the period rooms now frame a collection of modern art, a museum within a monument.
Practical information
- Open: as a museum (MURAM); closed some weekdays
- Cost: museum admission (often free)
- Best for: the corner tower and the Modernista façades
- Time needed: 30–45 minutes
Getting there
The palace is on the Plaza de la Merced in central Cartagena, a short walk from the Calle Mayor, the port and the Roman theatre.
Nearby
- Casa Cervantes and Casa Llagostera — Beltrí’s houses on the Calle Mayor
- Roman Theatre of Cartagena — the restored ancient theatre nearby
Sources
- Wikipedia (Spanish) / Región de Murcia Digital — Palacio de Aguirre
- MURAM / Museos Región de Murcia — building information
- Wikimedia Commons — image source and licence
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