Before you stands one of the few examples of 16th-century Madrid civil architecture to have survived to the present day. Its sober appearance hides one of the capital's most persistent legends.

1History of the building

The house was built in the second half of the 16th century, when this area was still close to the edge of the town. Its name holds no riddle: just step back a few metres and count the seven chimneys crowning the roof.

Over the centuries, the building was transformed as Madrid grew up around it. Successive renovations preserved part of its Renaissance character and made the building an exceptional witness to the city's evolution.

2The legend of the lady in white

For generations it was said that a female figure, dressed in white and surrounded by a strange light, walked among the chimneys before vanishing, gazing northwards.

The house exists and the chimneys can be counted; the apparition belongs to Madrid's popular memory.

The versions change depending on who tells them. Some link the ghost to a lady at the court of Philip II; others mix up characters and dates. That very instability is a sign of oral tradition, not of historical certainty.

3What to look for

  • The seven chimneys, which give the building its name. Count them from the square.
  • The façade: its sobriety is typical of the civil architecture of the period.
  • The Lyceum Club Femenino plaque, which commemorates the period when this women's association had its headquarters here.
South-east view of the House of the Seven Chimneys with its chimneys
From the south-east corner you can clearly see the chimneys that give the house its name.
Engraving of the House of the Seven Chimneys in the 16th century and in 1882
The house in the 16th century and in 1882, according to the engraving by Manuel Nao and Tomás Carlos Capuz.
Lyceum Club Femenino plaque on the façade
The plaque commemorates the period when the Lyceum Club Femenino occupied the building.

Documented

The building's construction, renovations and uses are part of Madrid's documented heritage.

Oral tradition

The identity of the supposed apparition belongs to legendary versions and is not presented as a proven fact.

Sources and credits

Madrid City Council, Royal Decree 192/1995 and Lyceum Club archive. How we research.

Photos:

  • Main façade of the House of the Seven Chimneys: Javier Perez Montes, CC BY-SA 4.0.
  • South-east view of the House of the Seven Chimneys with its chimneys: Luis García, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • Engraving of the House of the Seven Chimneys in the 16th century and in 1882: Manuel Nao y Tomás Carlos Capuz, Dominio público.
  • Lyceum Club Femenino plaque on the façade: Mentxuwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Spotted a mistake? Drop us a line and we’ll look into it.