Palacio de los Gallardo
The Gallardo Palace sits atop a hill overlooking the valley. This stately pink house, known as the 'Casa Grande', 'Casa del Amo' or 'Casa Rosa', was built by the architect Gustavo Gallardo in the early nineteenth century. It was used by him and his family as a summer residence. The annexes were used by day labourers, servants, the landlord and the manager — first Don Francisco Marín and later Don Padilla.
There are indications that Italian architects were involved in its construction, as it clearly attempts to imitate the Renaissance castles of the Loire Valley with its sloping roofs. The Gallardo family owned land and properties in the Marchal, Beas de Guadix, Purullena and Narváez estates. The complex features a circular viewing platform offering stunning views of the town centre and most of the former estates. Until the 1950s, the land and some of the houses were leased to town residents, after which the properties were divided into subdivisions and became the property of the tenants through the Internal Civil Government, with Juan Jaén Botella leading the negotiations.
The family continued to own the palace, the oil mill, the Coto and the Narváez farmhouse. Upon being named heir to these estates, one of the sons, Enrique Gallardo, first sold the land belonging to the municipality of Beas de Guadix and the Coto. He later sold the oil mill and the palace. The ground floor was used to store grain, which was used to pay the land tenants, and as a garage. After the town church burned down, these rooms were converted into a chapel until a new church was built. By this time, the palace had already been sold to Pepe Pleguezuelos and José María de Granada. It remains privately owned today by the Vílchez siblings, Manuel and Encarnación. It is located in Barrio Carabanchel.