Designed in the Gothic-Mudéjar transitional style, this was once the residence of Columbus’ son, Diego, and his wife, Doña María de Toledo, during the early 16th century. The magnificent building we see today is the result of three historically authentic restorations: one in 1957, another in 1971 and a third in 1992. The building itself, as well as the household pieces on display (said to have belonged to the Columbus family), are definitely worth a look.
Recalled to Spain in 1523, Diego and Doña Maria left the home to relatives who occupied the handsome building for the next hundred years. It was subsequently allowed to deteriorate, then was used as a prison and a warehouse, before it was finally abandoned. By 1775 it was a vandalized shell of its former self and served as the unofficial city dump. Less than a hundred years later, only two of its walls remained at right angles.
Tickets can be purchased in the stand-alone building in Plaza España a few steps from the museum's entrance.
