Palacio de los Vargas in Casa de Campo was built in 1519 by master builder Antonio de Madrid, who also worked on the Alcázar. The house was one of the first of this style in Spain and it was made like some in Italy, where they were already in style.
The Emperor Charles spent some seasons in this Palace as a guest, on his trips through the center of the peninsula. And it is believed that Francis I of France may have been a captive here, after being captured in the battle of Pavia. When he returned to Paris, the French king had a house of the same style built in the Bois de Boulogne, known as the Castle of Madrid.
Felipe II, infected by his father, also became fond of the town of Manzanares. In fact, in 1561 he moved the Court to the city, which since then has been the capital of the kingdom. And he loved this country house so much that he bought it for his own use.
At that time the property had a good garden at the back, under the name of El Reservado. Ahead, there was the so-called Huerta de la Partida, where today we find a viewpoint towards the center of Madrid. This Huerta is currently landscaped and is a separate part of the Palace.
Also in times of this king the Gallery of the Grottoes, also called the Grottoes of Felipe II, was built. The Gallery is next to what was El Reservado. It is a Renaissance pavilion designed as an ornamental and recreational element of what was the garden.
An explanatory panel outside the Palacio de los Vargas tells of its history, its construction and the reforms experienced over the centuries. Some pictures are included to help you get an idea of what the building was like in the past.