Benamejí Palace – Town History Museum

Benamejí Palace is a “National Monument” that has received “Site of Cultural Interest” status. Construction began at the beginning of the eighteenth century and it is considered a prime example of civil architecture from the Spanish Baroque and one of the treasures from Écija’s golden age.

The vast brick façade has a stone base and a row of balconies on the first floor. It boasts two large towers on either end, which provide the monument with a certain degree of height; the impressive portal interrupts the building’s sobriety and monotony.

The palace originally belonged to the marquises of Benamejí but later housed a military riding centre, and has been the Town’s History Museum since 1997. The museum exhibits several archaeological remains, including an interesting collection of prehistoric metal pieces, three warrior stelae, the “Pieza de Écija” (a unique piece of gold work from the Tartessian era), wonderful Roman mosaics and exceptional sculptures, such as the “Wounded Amazon”, and interesting collections of inscriptions, capitals, mosaics and domestic tools from the Roman and Islamic eras.

Visitors are also welcome to explore the eighteenth-century Benamejí Palace stables, which house the Visual Ecuestre visitor centre: a wonderful 270° light and sound show on the world of horses in Écija. 

Another interesting feature is the Benamejí Viewpoint Balcony, located on the corner of the street Calle Cánovas del Castillo. It dates back to the eighteenth century and consists of a ground-level arcade with two- and three-storey open galleries; its arcades, propped up by supports, characteristic of the era, feature typical canopies that make use of the balconies’ projections. It is decorated with polychrome of the same era, which contributes to the building’s grandeur.