Casa del Dean & Palacio de los Monroy
Plasencia's old town is studded with 15th- and 16th-century noble palaces that most visitors walk straight past on their way to the cathedral. Two of the finest — the Casa del Dean and the Palacio de los Monroy — face each other across narrow streets just steps from the Plaza Mayor and reward anyone who pauses to look up.
Carved Stone Façades of the Spanish Renaissance
The Casa del Dean (House of the Dean) on Calle Blanca features one of the most elaborate Plateresque doorways in Extremadura — a riot of carved foliage, heraldic shields and classical medallions that covers the entire entrance arch. Plateresque gets its name from the silversmith's art (platero) it resembles, and this façade is a textbook example of the style at its most exuberant.
The Palacio de los Monroy, just around the corner on Calle Sancho Polo, is more restrained but equally impressive: a double-arched Renaissance loggia on the first floor and an interior patio with slender columns that you can sometimes glimpse through the open gate. The Monroy family were one of the most powerful clans in medieval Extremadura.
A Self-Guided Palace Walk
The tourist office on Plaza de la Catedral distributes a free map marking all 14 surviving noble palaces within the walled city — a self-guided walk that takes about two hours and reveals a layer of Plasencia that most day-trippers completely miss. Other highlights include the Palacio de los Carvajal-Girón and the Casa de las Dos Torres.
The best light for photographing the carved façades falls in the morning when the sun hits the eastern-facing doorways. Bring a wide-angle lens or use portrait mode on your phone to capture the full height of the doorways.
More of Plasencia
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Plasencia →
