The Palacio de Nava is a manor house on Plaza del Adelantado in the historic centre of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, on Tenerife. Built in the late 16th century and altered in the mid-17th, it was rebuilt in 1776 by Tomás de Nava y Grimón y Porlier, which gave it its present appearance. The façade combines Baroque, Mannerist and Neoclassical elements. In the 18th century its rooms hosted the Tertulia de Nava, a circle at the centre of the Canarian Enlightenment. The building is listed as a cultural property.
Nava Palace
Aristocratic mansion on Plaza del Adelantado, rebuilt in 1776 with a façade of Baroque, Mannerist and Neoclassical detail
- Accessibility
- The façade can be seen from the square outside; inside, the coffered ceiling is reached by a marble staircase.
- Parking
- Two car parks about 140 m and 150 m away in a straight line.
- Difficulty
- None: the palace stands on Plaza del Adelantado in the town centre, and you walk up to the façade from the street.
- Transport
- Plaza del Adelantado stop (1702), about 18 m away; Quinteras stop (2346), about 165 m.
- Address
- C. Nava y Grimon, 1, 38201 La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
What makes it special
At the top of a marble staircase with a balustrade, an octagonal coffered ceiling opens overhead, the family crest carved into its central panel. The carving is Mudéjar work with a clear Portuguese influence.
Outside, the façade on Plaza del Adelantado carries the house's long rebuilding. It went up in the late 16th century and was altered in the mid-17th. In 1776 Tomás de Nava y Grimón y Porlier rebuilt it completely, and Mannerist, Baroque and Neoclassical details now share one front.
In the 18th century these rooms held the Tertulia de Nava, the gathering around the Marquis of Villanueva del Prado that drove the Canarian Enlightenment, with thinkers such as Viera y Clavijo among its members. Books forbidden by the Church were brought in from Europe and read here.
Good to know
- The palace has been closed for renovation, so entry to the staircase and ceiling is not guaranteed; the façade is always in view from the square.
- An information board stands about 10 m from the palace, and a map board about 70 m away.
- Free public toilets are about 200 m away in a straight line.
Getting there
The Plaza del Adelantado stop is about 18 m from the palace, and the Quinteras stop about 165 m. Arriving by car, you have two car parks roughly 140 m and 150 m away in a straight line; the last stretch is on foot through the streets of the old town. An information board stands about 10 m from the palace and a map board about 70 m away, handy for getting your bearings on arrival.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside the Palacio de Nava?
The palace has been closed for renovation, so entry to the interior is not guaranteed. The façade can be seen from Plaza del Adelantado.How old is the Palacio de Nava?
It was built in the late 16th century and altered in the mid-17th. Its present appearance dates from 1776, when Tomás de Nava y Grimón y Porlier rebuilt it completely.What is inside the palace?
A marble staircase with a balustrade leads up to an octagonal coffered ceiling with the family crest carved into its central panel, Mudéjar carving with a Portuguese influence.What was the Tertulia de Nava?
An 18th-century gathering held in the palace under the Marquis of Villanueva del Prado, with thinkers such as Viera y Clavijo. It drove the Canarian Enlightenment, and books forbidden by the Church were brought in from Europe and read here.