Morocco and Spain Reach Agreement on Abandoned Álava-Esquível Palace in Vitoria

The two parties have agreed to set up a working group to resolve the issue of the Álava-Esquível palace, located in the Vitoria district, but belonging to the city of Tangier, reports La Razon. The city of Vitoria was considering expropriating the building, after the non-payment by the city of Tangier of the nine fines totaling 383,825.47 euros that it had imposed on it for not taking care of the maintenance or rehabilitation of this palace and for not paying certain taxes.

The mayor of Tangier took advantage of this trip to visit the palace, which is in danger of ruin. "This approach confirms the great interest in this monument of historical, cultural and sovereign value, since it is the only property belonging to Morocco and located outside its territory," notes the media Rue20.

Built in 1488, the Álava-Esquível palace has belonged to the municipality of Tangier for more than a century. It has had several owners. Ricardo de Álava y Carrión, a descendant of General Álava, bet on the property in a card game and lost. The palace ended up in the hands of Ignacio de Figueroa y Bermejillo, Duke of Tovar, who in fact donated it in 1953 to the municipality of Tangier, then under Spanish protectorate.