Restoration of the palacio de Quiñones in Riolago de Babia

Dating of the building: 15th - 16th century.

Applicant: Fernando Geijo Rodríguez.

Reason for the award :

For the great individual and financial effort of its restoration and furnishing, which has made the building a must.

This fortified palace from the 15th century was restored by its owner, the industrialist Fernando Geijo.

Riolago is a small town in the Leonese region of Babia, known for being the resting place of kings in the Middle Ages. We know that Quiñones Palace belonged to this family as far back as 1434 and that it was one of the most important in the region. The carved shield that crowns the Renaissance façade of this fortified 15th-century building gives testimony to the noble rank of the Quiñones family.

The military origin of the palace is evident in its battlements and embrasures. Around 1868 the Quiñones family lost their property when they accompanied Queen Elizabeth II to her exile in France. After various vicissitudes, including a fire in 1915, the palace ended up divided in 1977 between twelve owners, a situation that did not favour its upkeep. That is when the industrialist Fernando Geijo bought it and decided to restore it at his own expense, an exceptional individual effort acknowledged by the Europa Nostra Association.

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