You’ve reached the Plaza de Mondragón, an elegant square dominated by the Baroque façade of the Palacio de Mondragón, the most emblematic civic monument in Ronda’s old town. Originally a Nasrid palace from the early fourteenth century, it first served as the residence of Muslim governors before passing to Christian noble families after the conquest of 1485, which explains the combination of styles you see today: Mudéjar, late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Although the palace was almost entirely remodelled in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the façade still preserves, above its portal, the coat of arms of the Mondragón family, from whom it takes its current name. Inside, several patios reflect both Moorish and aristocratic influence, and the terraced gardens inspired by the Generalife offer lovely views over the El Tajo gorge from the far end of the building. Today, the palace houses Ronda’s municipal museum, which traces the region’s history from prehistory to the modern era, making this square a genuine historical and cultural heart of the city.