The Building

The Miramar compound, made up of the palace with its park, various buildings, gardens and outbuildings, covers a total area of 34,136 square metres. It is limited to the north by the Ondarreta gardens, the rocks and the sea; to the south by the Paseo de Pío Baroja, which used to be an integral part of the complex; to the east by the Paseo de Miraconcha and to the west by the Paseo de los Miqueletes.

Its location in the centre of the bay, has made it an aesthetic and urban landmark of extraordinary value, which must be added to the historical value of its location.

Designed in 1888 by the English architect Selden Wornum, with the name of “Real Casa de Campo de Miramar en San Sebastián” – which corresponds more to its purpose than the name of the palace itself, it was built by Don Benito Olasagasti, under the direction of the municipal architect José Goicoa with a budget of 3,000,000 pesetas. Its style corresponds to an English Queen Anne “Cottage” – the name by which the English designate a construction of rural character – generally with two floors for a single family – and whose construction characteristics, clearly Nordic, must be of a sober elegance combined with an evident sense of comfort in keeping with the country atmosphere that would surround it. This is augmented by its flat English tile roof whose origin is consistent with the interior lighting and metal lock fittings, and the abundant use of brick in construction. Although, it must be noted there are touches of the revivalist genre and the electrical age, typical of the time in which it was built, which can be observed in the gothic style moulding of the ashlars of its doors and windows.

The layout of the park and the gardens were, for their part, projected, according to the architect-director, by Pierre Ducasse, who died without ever seeing them built.

The works were completed in 1893, and the set of buildings add up to a total of 8,000 square meters. The palace, with a basement and three floors, has about 5,600 square meters, with more than nine parlours, with a surface area of more than 50 square meters. In 1920 a new building named the Prince’s Pavilion was added.

Located in front of the spectacular La Concha Bay, the Miramar Palace is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the city of San Sebastián. This privileged watchtower, which separates the beaches of Ondarreta and La Concha, would be the place chosen in 1887, by the Queen Regent María Cristina, to build her summer palace. Its style corresponds to an English Queen Anne “Cottage” – the name by which the English designate a rural building. Its location in the centre of the bay, has made it an aesthetic and urban landmark of extraordinary value.

It is Isabel II who, towards the middle of the 19th century, began to spend the summer in the city of San Sebastián and established a bond with the city that would be strengthened by Queen María Cristina, wife of Alfonso XII , when, after being widowed, she moved the summers of the court to San Sebastián , a decision that definitively boosted the future tourism of the city.

When spending the summers in the city, the Royal family required a Royal Country House, which Queen María Cristina commissioned from the English architect Selden Wornum and the chosen site was an extensive estate located in front of La Concha Bay where formerly The Monastery of San Sebastián El Antiguo had been located , and it was acquired by the queen from the Count of Moriana. The master builder José Goikoa built this building in the English style, although he included some neo-Gothic elements. The complex was completed with stables and a trade house and garages. It also had a large park designed by Pierre Ducasse. In total, the Miramar Palace and its park cover an area of 34,136 m².

The palace was completed in 1893, although in 1920 a new building called the Prince’s Pavilion was added. The construction of the palace required the realization of a false tunnel that would allow the passage of the trams of the San Sebastián Tram Company and the highway, over which the palace gardens extend.

In 1929, after the death of Queen María Cristina, Alfonso XIII inherited the property. During the second republic it was expropriated and passed into the hands of the San Sebastián City Council. During the Franco dictatorship it was returned to the Bourbons. Finally, on August 10, 1972, and for 102,500,000 pesetas, the deed of acquisition by purchase and sale was carried out, “granted by His Royal Highness Juan de Borbón y Battenberg, count of Barcelona, in favour of the City Council of Saint Sebastian”.

On October 29, 1985, the current consortium was created under the name of “Palacio de Miramar”, with the participation of the Basque Government, the Guipúzcoa Provincial Council and the San Sebastián City Council, which addressed the rehabilitation of the Palace in its first phase (Pavilion del Principe and Service Building).

Today it is a unique place for the celebration of events of all kinds and serves as a place of recreation for locals, who can stroll through its gardens, now open to the public.