Olite: The Palace the Kings of Navarre Built for Themselves
Navarre, Spain
Badge Unlock
Palacio de Olite
Complete this challenge to add this badge to your collection.
275
XP
+100 Spain
= 375 total
1 day
Olite: The Palace the Kings of Navarre Built for Themselves
275 + 100 XP
Charles III of Navarre turned an existing castle at Olite into a permanent royal seat in the 15th century and gave it everything a court of the period was supposed to have: towers, gardens, moats, hanging gardens, even a menagerie. The silhouette of towers above the walls is why it is probably the most emblematic civil building in Navarre and its most visited monument. In 1813 the guerrilla leader Espoz y Mina had it burnt, to stop Napoleon's troops fortifying it — so the towers survive and the interior decoration and the gardens are gone for good.
Required Activities
1
of 5
Walk the towers and the wall walks and work out how much of the silhouette is decoration rather than defence
2
of 5
Find the black mulberry inside, which is protected as a natural monument of Navarre
3
of 5
Work out what was lost in 1813, when Espoz y Mina had the palace burnt to deny it to the French
4
of 5
Find out what Charles III put in here that a castle would never have had — gardens, a menagerie, hanging gardens
5
of 5
Come in summer for the Festival de Teatro Clásico, which uses the palace as its main venue
Walk the towers and the wall walks and work out how much of the silhouette is decoration rather than defence
Find the black mulberry inside, which is protected as a natural monument of Navarre
Work out what was lost in 1813, when Espoz y Mina had the palace burnt to deny it to the French
Find out what Charles III put in here that a castle would never have had — gardens, a menagerie, hanging gardens
Come in summer for the Festival de Teatro Clásico, which uses the palace as its main venue
Before you go
In summer the palace is the main venue of the Festival de Teatro Clásico.
Many stairs and narrow tower spirals with drops. Olite is on the Navarrese plain and gets very hot in summer.
Finding nearby campsites...
About Navarre
Loading region info…
Explore more about Navarre:
Challenge Location
XP Breakdown
Challenge XP
275 XP
Spain country bonus
+100 XP
Potential total
375 XP
Country bonus earned on completion of your first challenge in Spain.
More challenges nearby
within 100km
Ujué: A Fortified Church With a King's Heart In It
Spain · Navarre
history
easy
1d
13 km away
La Oliva: The First Cistercian Abbey in Navarre, Still Working
Spain · Navarre
history
easy
1d
19 km away
Puente la Reina: Where the Two Caminos Meet
Spain · Navarre
cultural
easy
1d
27 km away
Calahorra: A Roman Town That Ate Itself
Spain · La Rioja
food
easy
1d
33 km away
Bardenas Reales: The Desert in Navarre
Spain · Navarre
scenic
medium
1d
34 km away
Sos del Rey Católico: Where Ferdinand Was Born
Spain · Aragon
history
easy
1d
36 km away