Museo Goya

The Museo Goya in Zaragoza houses a major collection of Spanish art spanning the 15th to the 20th century. The museum is best known for its extensive holdings of paintings and etchings by the Aragonese master Francisco Goya, including iconic works such as his Self-Portrait, the depiction of Saints Joachim and Anne, and the sketch for the famous painting "The Second of May 1808." The Goya collection is rounded out by four etching cycles, including a first edition of "La Tauromaquia," as well as Goya's copies after Velázquez. Beyond these highlights, the collection comprises more than a thousand works, about half of which are on view in the 26 exhibition rooms. Alongside Goya, these rooms also showcase paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, and ceramics by other artists.

The building itself is also remarkable: a Renaissance palace of the Pardo family, built in 1535 by the Moorish architect Juan de Lanuza. Originally the residence of the Cosida family and later the headquarters of the Captaincy General during the War of Independence in 1808, the house was purchased and renovated by the Ibercaja savings bank in 1976. The museum opened in 1979 under the name Museo Camón Aznar, after the local art historian whose collection formed the core of its holdings. Following a comprehensive interior renovation completed in 2008, the museum took its current name in 2015 to honor the integration of the Ibercaja collection and the works of the Real Sociedad Económica Aragonesa de Amigos del País.

The museum's architecture is organized on three floors around a central courtyard supported by large marble columns, which now houses the reception area. During the renovation, historic elements such as the facade and the Golden Hall were restored, while a new skylight provides better lighting. In the basement, visitors will also find monumental remains from the Roman era. The exhibition is laid out chronologically around the figure of the Aragonese painter Goya, giving you a deep insight into the artist's work and the development of Spanish art.