Royal Palace of Olite

The Royal Palace of Olite stands as one of medieval Europe's most spectacular and luxurious castle-palaces, serving as the court of Navarrese kings until Navarre's incorporation into the Crown of Castile in 1512. Commissioned by King Charles III the Noble and Queen Leonor de Trastámara in 1402, the palace underwent continuous refinement through the 13th–15th centuries, creating an architectural masterpiece reflecting courtly refinement rather than military defensiveness. The palace, together with the Old Palace (now Parador de Olite) and the church of Santa María la Real, forms Europe's best-preserved medieval complex, designated a National Monument in 1925. A 15th-century German visitor famously wrote that no king possessed a more beautiful palace with so many golden rooms, exemplifying its renowned splendor.