Town Hall

You’re now standing in front of Úbeda’s Town Hall, set inside one of the city’s most majestic palaces: the Vázquez de Molina Palace, known locally as the Palace of the Chains. In a city full of noble residences and influential figures, this one is among the most iconic. Built between 1546 and 1565 for Juan Vázquez de Molina, nephew of Francisco de los Cobos and a senior official in the courts of Charles V and Philip II, it reflects the ambitions of a man accustomed to imperial settings who wanted a monumental home of his own, right across from his family’s funerary chapel. To bring this vision to life, he turned to Andrés de Vandelvira, the great architect of the Andalusian Renaissance. Vandelvira designed a fully free-standing palace, a sistinct contrast to the tightly packed medieval houses around it. Organised around a large central courtyard inspired by ancient Roman homes, the building follows a clear, harmonious layout of columns, pediments and clean horizontal lines, giving the façade its refined simplicity. As for its nickname, the “Palace of the Chains,” it likely comes from the Dominican convent that occupied the building for many years under the invocation of Our Lady of the Chains; some also recall that a chain once outlined the ceremonial space before the entrance. If you have a moment, step inside—the courtyard is open to visitors and well worth seeing. It’s one of the finest Renaissance courtyards in Andalusia, with its two-storey white-marble gallery, rounded arches, golden stone and limewashed vaults. The mix of colours and materials recalls Italian palaces while keeping the luminous elegance typical of Andalusia. Today, the palace is still a lively place. Since the late nineteenth century it has served as Úbeda’s Town Hall, and visitors can explore the courtyard, a few public rooms and the Renaissance Interpretation Centre installed in the former cellars, where Juan Vázquez de Molina’s crypt is also located.