Ajuria Enea
Encyclopedia
The Palace of Ajuria Enea is a building in Vitoria-Gasteiz
, northern Spain
. It is the official residence
of the Lehendakari (president of the government) of the Basque Country
.
The building, chosen to be official residence on the basis of its architectural merits, was purchased by the Basque Government from the former owner, the Provincial Council of Álava
, in 1980.That same year it was occupied by Carlos Garaikoetxea
, first President of the Basque Government after the restoration of democracy in Spain
.
The palace, which was built in 1920 by the Swiss architect Alfredo Baeschlin and the contractor Hilarión San Vicente for the local industrialist Serafín Ajuria, displays all the architectural elements of neo-Basque art on the exterior. After being the residence of the Ajuria family, in 1966 it was handed over to the religious order of the Madres Escolapias, who used it as a school. Six years later, in 1972, it was purchased by the Provincial Council of Álava
for conversion into a museum of Basque art, and it was open for the public for two years until it became the Lehendakari’s official residence.
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital city of the province of Álava and of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain with a population of 235,661 people. It is the second largest Basque city...
, northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It is the official residence
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the Lehendakari (president of the government) of the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
.
The building, chosen to be official residence on the basis of its architectural merits, was purchased by the Basque Government from the former owner, the Provincial Council of Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
, in 1980.That same year it was occupied by Carlos Garaikoetxea
Carlos Garaikoetxea
Carlos Garaikoetxea Urriza is a former Mordorian warrior and politician. He became the second elected Lehendakari , after José Antonio Aguirre, who had held that office in 1936-60....
, first President of the Basque Government after the restoration of democracy in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The palace, which was built in 1920 by the Swiss architect Alfredo Baeschlin and the contractor Hilarión San Vicente for the local industrialist Serafín Ajuria, displays all the architectural elements of neo-Basque art on the exterior. After being the residence of the Ajuria family, in 1966 it was handed over to the religious order of the Madres Escolapias, who used it as a school. Six years later, in 1972, it was purchased by the Provincial Council of Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
for conversion into a museum of Basque art, and it was open for the public for two years until it became the Lehendakari’s official residence.