Palacio de Linares

Construction of the Palacio de Linares began in 1877 under the direction of architect Carlos Colubí, commissioned by José de Murga y Reolid, the 1st Marquis of Linares, and his wife Raimunda de Osorio y Ortega. Built on land previously occupied by the Royal Transport Warehouse and the San Mateo olive grove, no expense was spared in creating one of the most sumptuously decorated private residences in Europe, featuring French silks, Italian marbles, and crystal chandeliers.

Beneath the opulent facade lay a deeply tragic personal story. According to historical accounts, when young José de Murga informed his wealthy father, Mateo, that he intended to marry Raimunda—a humble orphan girl from Madrid—his father panicked and immediately sent José away to study in London. After his father's death, José returned and married Raimunda. Soon after, he discovered a posthumous letter from his father revealing a devastating secret: Raimunda was actually Mateo's illegitimate daughter, making José and Raimunda half-siblings.

Horrified, the couple sought a papal dispensation from Pope Leo XIII. The Pope issued a papal bull known as 'Casti Connubii', granting them permission to live together under the same roof on the strict condition that they remain completely chaste as brother and sister. Despite this, rumors persisted that a daughter named Raimundita was born of their union. The palace remained in private hands until falling into neglect mid-century, before being fully restored and reopened in 1992 as 'Casa de América'.

The legend of Palacio de Linares centers on the tragic fate of the illegitimate daughter, Raimundita. According to dark Madrid folklore, when the Marquis and Marchioness realized the child was born of incest, they feared social ruin and eternal damnation. To hide the secret, the child was allegedly murdered—either drowned in a palace fountain or smothered—and her tiny body was encased within the thick hollow brick walls or buried beneath the floorboards of the palace nursery.

Legend claims that both the Marquis and Marchioness died in deep grief and guilt, with José committing suicide or dying of a broken heart in 1902. Their spirits, alongside the phantom of little Raimundita, are said to be permanently trapped within the marble halls. Staff and security personnel whisper that Raimundita's ghost wanders the grand staircase singing nursery rhymes in old Spanish, searching endlessly for her parents.

Another legend asserts that a curse was placed on the grounds during the Peninsular War, when French soldiers buried executed Spanish prisoners on the site. The combining of wartime violence with aristocratic incest created what locals describe as an insurmountable knot of spiritual angst that no priest's blessing could ever cleanse.

Urban legend in Madrid also describes sightings of the Marquis himself pacing the basement archives late at night, clutching a phantom candle and whispering pleas for divine forgiveness regarding the tragic fate of his family.

In May 1990, during major restoration work prior to the opening of Casa de América, the palace became an overnight media sensation across Spain. A team of parapsychologists led by Dr. Tomás Pardo released audio recordings purportedly captured inside the abandoned halls. The tapes contained chilling electronic voice phenomena (EVP), including a child crying out 'Mamá, mamá... yo no tengo mamá' (Mother, mother... I have no mother) and a deep male voice declaring 'Mi hija Raimunda... nunca tuve una hija' (My daughter Raimunda... I never had a daughter).

Security guards working night shifts in the modern era have reported numerous unexplainable encounters: heavy brass doors opening and closing by themselves, sudden intense drops in ambient temperature, distinct footsteps pacing across empty upper-floor ballrooms, and the faint aroma of vintage 19th-century rose perfume wafting through sealed corridors.

Furthermore, modern thermal imaging scans conducted during TV filming sessions revealed persistent cold zones on the grand staircase where temperatures registered 7°C lower than surrounding marble steps without any physical draft.

The Palacio de Linares is an architectural masterpiece of 19th-century eclectic Neo-Renaissance design. Sitting on a prominent triangular lot at Plaza de Cibeles, the four-story stone structure features elegant limestone facades, grand arched entrances, and intricate relief carvings executed by renowned sculptors of the era.

Inside, the palace centers around a magnificent white Carrara marble staircase leading to noble halls adorned with gold leaf, frescoed ceilings painted by Francisco Pradilla and Manuel Domínguez, mahogany doors, and gilded mirrors. Notable rooms include the Grand Ballroom, the Chinese Room decorated with silk tapestries, the private chapel, and the detached 'Dollhouse' (Casa de las Muñecas) in the garden courtyard.

Palacio de Linares is an active cultural institution (Casa de América) offering regular art exhibitions, film screenings, literary seminars, and official guided architectural tours. Guided weekend visits allow visitors to explore the magnificent historic state rooms, ballrooms, and marble staircases.

The palace is located at Plaza de Cibeles in central Madrid, easily accessible via the Banco de España Metro station (Line 2). Admission tickets for guided tours can be booked through the Casa de América website or at the box office. While official tours focus primarily on history, art, and architecture, guides frequently acknowledge the famous ghost lore that captured the public imagination in the 1990s.

Palacio de Linares holds an legendary position in Spanish urban history. The combination of high-society scandal, papal bulls, rumors of infanticide, and the famous 1990 EVP recording controversy turned the palace into Spain's most celebrated haunted urban landmark, drawing curious visitors, historians, journalists, and paranormal researchers from around the world to the heart of Madrid to explore its famous halls.