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Culture
Palace of Villachica
The ancient Palace of Villachica is situated in the valley between Monte la Reina and Monte San Miguel, in the vicinity of three bodies of water: the Toro canal to the north, the Adalia stream to the east and the Duero river to the south.
This complex, constructed in 1800, was purchased by the Villachica family, a family of the upper middle class of Alava based in Madrid, while it was still under construction. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the family engaged in commercial, financial, and even political activities in Madrid.
The Villachica family ceased to exist following the demise of its last surviving member. Luis Villachica died in 1920. However, the lineage was not yet completely extinguished, as Louis had an illegitimate daughter with his most faithful servant. This was not recognised until much later, at the late age of 50. The girl, known as Victoriana and subsequently designated a Villachica, resided in an environment replete with her male relatives and domestic staff until her demise in the Palace of Villachica, previously designated as Finca San Andrés.
In 1961, upon the death of Victoriana without descendants, the San Andrés Estate was donated to the Diocese of Zamora. The previous owner was a devout woman who had donated a significant portion of her estate to the Church. For several decades, the estate was not used by the ecclesiastical authorities of Zamora. When the opportunity arose to dispose of the costs of its maintenance, they did so without hesitation, selling it in 1999 to a private individual. The purchaser of the land had the intention of establishing a wine business in the Tierra del Vino region, which is in the heart of the region. They proceeded to construct a winery near the Villachica Palace and planted the surrounding area with vineyards with which to produce a wine with a Denominación de Origen (Designation of Origin).
Although the Villachica Palace remains intact, several of its constituent naves have collapsed and are in a state of ruin. Conversely, the main building and the chapel are in a good state of preservation. Although access to the palace-house is not permitted without prior permission, it houses a notable collection of frescoes on its walls, which serve as a testament to the affluence of the Villachica family during their nearly two centuries of contribution to the region's development.