Façade of 15th-century Palacio de los Hurtado de Mendoza collapses in Almazán

At 7:50 am on September 3, 2026, a significant portion of the north facade of the Hurtado de Mendoza palace in Almazán, Spain, collapsed, resulting in the detachment of five out of eleven arches. Mayor Jesús Cedazo expressed his frustration to El País regarding the 'institutional inaction,' emphasizing that he had previously alerted the regional heritage department about the palace's deteriorating state. Although partial repairs occurred in 2011, a comprehensive restoration was never completed. On September 2, the Castilla y León regional government reminded property owners of their conservation responsibilities and dismissed the idea of expropriation. With the town hall owning 5% of the structure, it is responsible for initiating emergency measures. An El País report revealed that more than half of Spain's monuments are at risk of collapse, underscoring persistent structural problems.