Luis de Vega (? - 10 November 1562) was a 16th-century

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

appointed royal architect of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

Life

In 1518 to find Luis de Vega settled in

Torrelaguna Torrelaguna () is a municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain. It covers an area of 43.40 km2. , it has a population of 4,940. History Public transport Torrelaguna has three line buses. They are: Line 197: Torrelaguna - Madrid (Pl ...

to take care of the construction of some houses owned by the university. By 1520 he had moved to Madrid. In the mid-twenties he did work in Valladolid for Don

Francisco de los Cobos y Molina Francisco de los Cobos y Molina (c. 1477 – 10 May 1547) was the Secretary of State (Ancient Regime in Spain), secretary of State and ''Comendador'' for the kingdom of Crown of Castile, Castile under the rule of the King Charles I of Spain, wh ...

, the imperial secretary."Luis de Vega:, Instituto de Estudios Madrileños
/ref> In 1531 he became a teacher at the

Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso The ''Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso'' (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso'') is a historic college and building located in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. It was declared ''Bien de Interés Cultural'' in 1914. Construction ...

, a position he held until his death. That same year Cobos sent him to

Úbeda Úbeda () is a municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain located in the Province of Jaén (Spain), province of Jaén, Andalusia. The town lies on the southern ridge of the so-called Loma de Úbeda, a Table (landform), table sandwiched in bet ...

, where Cobos had commissioned some building work. In 1537 he managed the administration regarding the facade work on the college by

Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón (1500–1577) was a Spanish architect of the Renaissance. He was born at Rascafría. His work alternated the late gothic with the renaissance style. His workings include the Palace of Monterrey in Salamanca, the Pala ...

. He renovated the old Alcazar of Madrid. Construction started in 1537.Sancho, J.L., 2014, Guide Palacio Real de Madrid, Madrid: Patrimonio Nacional, Also is 1537, Vega built a manor house, the ''Palacio de Dueñas'', in

Medina del Campo Medina del Campo is a town and municipality of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Part of the Province of Valladolid, it is the centre of a farming area. It lies on the banks of the Zapardiel river, in the centre of t ...

for Dr. Beltrán, friend of Cobos. In December 1537, Vega and

Alonso de Covarrubias Alonso de Covarrubias ( Torrijos, Toledo 1488–1570) was a Spanish architect and sculptor of the Renaissance, active mainly in Toledo. Works Covarrubias' works include: His first work was associated with Antón Egas and Juan Guas, in a style ...

were appointed to be in charge of the expansion, reconstruction and reform of the fortresses of Madrid, Toledo and Seville, with the obligation that each of the masters reside alternately for six months in them. In 1538, the Emperor sent Vega to Madrid to review the plans for the

palace A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

Charles was having built at the

Alhambra The Alhambra (, ; ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Muslim world, Islamic world. Additionally, the ...

. While there he directed the construction of the chapel of the bishop of Calahorra, Don Alonso de Castilla Zúniga in the Madrid convent of Santo Domingo, including a new porch. In 1540 he designed the upper story of the "Patio de las Doncellas" (Courtyard of the Maidens) in the

Alcázar of Seville The Alcázar of Seville, officially called Royal Alcázar of Seville (), is a historic royal palace in Seville, Spain. It was formerly the site of the Al-Andalus, Islamic-era citadel of the city, begun in the 10th century and then developed into ...

. The addition was designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance although Vega did include both Renaissance and

mudéjar Mudéjar were Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period following the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for Mudéjar art, which was greatly influenced by Islamic art, but produced typically by Christian craftsmen for C ...

plaster work in the decorations. In 1542, he transformed the pavilion on mount El Pardo, into what is now the

Royal Palace of El Pardo The Royal Palace of El Pardo (, ) is one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family and one of the oldest, being used by the Spanish monarchs since Henry III of Castile in the 15th century. The palace is owned by the Spanish governme ...

. Vega transformed the small hunting lodge into a traditional ''

alcázar An ''alcázar'', from Arabic ''al-Qasr'', is a type of Islamic castle or palace in Spain built during Al-Andalus, Muslim rule between the 8th and 15th centuries. They functioned as homes and regional capitals for governmental figures throughout ...

'' with a moat."Royal Palace of El Pardo", Patrimonio Nacional
/ref> In 1545, he designed a plan for the Hospital de la Sangre in

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

. With his nephew, the architect Gaspar de Vega, he worked on the vanished Palace of Valsain. They also designed the plans for the

Convento de San Felipe el Real The now defunct Convento de San Felipe el Real ( English: Convent of Saint Philip the Royal) (briefly called as San Felipe el Real) was a former Madrilenian convent of Calced Augustinian monks, located at the beginning of Calle Mayor in Madrid ...

in Madrid (1545). In 1547 he designed the

Torre de la Parada The Torre de la Parada is a former hunting lodge that was located in present-day Monte de El Pardo in Fuencarral-El Pardo, near the Royal Palace of El Pardo, some way outside Madrid in the Sierra de Guadarrama. It was mostly destroyed by fire ...

, a hunting lodge near the Royal Palace of El Pardo. In 1550 Vega was in

Aranjuez Aranjuez () is a city and municipality of Spain, part of the Community of Madrid. Located in the southern end of the region, the main urban nucleus lies on the left bank of the Tagus, a bit upstream of the discharge of the Jarama. , the munici ...

overseeing the rebuilding of the dam that the river had carried away. In July he looked to the repairs in the Forest of Segovia hunting ground. He also worked on a number of manor houses including the

Francisco de los Cobos Francisco de los Cobos y Molina (c. 1477 – 10 May 1547) was the secretary of State and '' Comendador'' for the kingdom of Castile under the rule of the King Charles I of Spain, who was elected as Holy Roman Emperor in and reigned as Charles ...

Palace in Valladolid (the Valladolid Royal Palace). Luis de Vega died in Madrid on 10 November 1562. File:Palacio del Deán Ortega (Úbeda). Fachada.jpg, Palacio del Deán Ortega (Úbeda) File:Courtyard of the Maidens - 2013.07 - panoramio.jpg, Courtyard of the Maidens, Alcázar of Seville File:Palacio de los Marqueses de Alcañices, Toro.jpg, Palacio de los Marqueses de Alcañices, Toro

References

Year of birth missing 1562 deaths Renaissance architects 16th-century Spanish architects {{Spain-architect-stub