Palacio Episcopal de Málaga

The Palacio Episcopal de Málaga sits on the Plaza del Obispo, right next to the cathedral. Construction began in 1762 under the patronage of Archbishop José Francisco Lasso de Castilla, and the building was designed by the architect Antonio Ramos. One of the most important examples of civil architecture in Málaga, it impresses with its clever layout around two successive courtyards. The first courtyard forms the public area, with low arcades, while the second, flanked by open balconies and a magnificent double-flight staircase, houses the bishop's private living quarters.

The main facade, in the Neoclassical Baroque style, is an architectural masterpiece. It is divided into three stories structured by paired and single pilasters. The highlight is the monumental portal, designed like an altar and made of gray and pink marble. A sweeping balcony crowns the entrance, while a niche in the uppermost part of the portal holds a statue of the Virgen de las Angustias by Fernando Ortiz. After Ramos's death in 1782, José Martín de Aldehuela continued the work and later added a stone balustrade.

The building has lived through a turbulent history, including an arson attack in 1931, after which it was restored in the 1940s. Designated a historic monument in 1991 and renovated in the 1990s, the palace now houses the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art. Here you can not only admire the elegant architecture but also discover the region's religious art.