When I look for a walking route in an unfamiliar town, I often scroll through the satellite view on Google Maps. That’s how I stumbled across Palacio De Partariu.
At first glance, there’s nothing terribly unique about this huge abandoned mansion. At least, not in Asturias in northern Spain, where they’re known as “Casas de Indianos”.
“Indianos” refers to Spanish emigrants to America, a popular pursuit for those who lived in northern Spain. It wasn’t an easy life for many, but some stuck it rich and returned to their home country with bulging pockets (often from sources of questionable morality - but what fortune isn’t made that way?). They built ostentatious mansions with eccentric architecture and palm trees.
I’d already come across a number of these houses, most of them in various stages of neglect. It turns out that it not only takes a fortune to build such a house but also to upkeep them, and today’s Asturians seem like more of a humbler, rural people.
But Palacio De Partariu was different for a reason that surprised and delighted me. It was the set of my favorite horror movie, El Orfanato. (The Orphanage in English)
I’ve seen the movie three times over the last over the last 10 years, once with English subtitles. (Even though I have a terrible memory, I don’t generally like to re-watch things so this shows just how much I like it.) The haunted-house story of a missing adopted son at the site of his mother’s old orphanage had a kind of soul and cleverness to it that I find lacking in most horror movies.
To this day, I can’t say the phrase “Uno dos tres, toca la pared” without a shiver.
I had never once thought to question where in Spain it was filmed, but now that I’ve been to Asturias it makes perfect sense. The abundant greenery. The brooding coastline with big sea cave. And, of course, the big old crumbling mansion.
My mom and I walked over to check it out in person on this Friday the 13th. The house is fenced off on private property, but the ivy-wreathed fence bars and the brooding sky all added to the eerie atmosphere.
The grounds were large and somewhat tamed, taking up multiple city blocks. If I were less concerned with the law, I would try to break in and explore it closer, but alas I am not so brave.
The Palacio de Partariu was completed in 1899, but its original owner died there within the year. Since then, it was used as a hospital during the Spanish Civil War and as a film set for two horror movies, El Orfanato and Mi Nombre es Sombra.
I know all this because there was a sign at the front gates. Turns out the Palacio was stop #25 on some kind of “Llanes de Cine” tour of film locations - I had no idea! If I ever return to Llanes, I’d like to watch a few more of these films and check out the sites in person.
Thanks for watching and reading! All words and images are mine. I've been slowly unveiling the daily videos from several weeks in Asturias over the last few Mondays, in a couple more we'll be moving further south in Spain!
- Katie,
!steemitworldmap 43.414430 lat -4.753184 long Tour a few of the Casas de Indianos in Asturias, including the set of El Orfanato! d3scr
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