Casa de los Toledo-Moctezuma
Just north of the cathedral in the old town, this domed palace bears the name of Isabel de Moctezuma, daughter of the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II. It was built by the conquistador Juan Cano de Saavedra with riches from her dowry following their wedding in 1532. Isabel led an extraordinary and troubling life. She married six times, including two Aztec emperors and three conquistadors, had an illegitimate child with Hernán Cortés, and was widowed five times. Saavedra survived her and returned to Cáceres rich. In 1559 his son Juan Cano de Moctezuma married Elvira de Toledo y Ovando, establishing one of Spain’s grandest dynasties. The palace, which bears the crests of various noble families, is now a public-records office and not geared towards visitors. But if you can sneak a look inside, its main rooms are decorated with frescoes of Roman emperors and busts of Mexican kings
Just north of the cathedral in the old town, this domed palace bears the name of Isabel de Moctezuma, daughter of the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II. It was built by the conquistador Juan Cano de Saavedra with riches from her dowry following their wedding in 1532. Isabel led an extraordinary and troubling life. She married six times, including two Aztec emperors and three conquistadors, had an illegitimate child with Hernán Cortés, and was widowed five times. Saavedra survived her and returned to Cáceres rich. In 1559 his son Juan Cano de Moctezuma married Elvira de Toledo y Ovando, establishing one of Spain’s grandest dynasties. The palace, which bears the crests of various noble families, is now a public-records office and not geared towards visitors. But if you can sneak a look inside, its main rooms are decorated with frescoes of Roman emperors and busts of Mexican kings
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