La Casa Grande

Currently known above all as a big space for weddings and other events, the Casa Grande really offers a magnificent lesson in Spanish history that you shouldn't miss. During the reign of Felipe II, the Empress María de Austria founded the Colegio Imperial in Madrid, which was left in the hands of the Jesuits. The three holdings that the Jesuits established were in Torrejón de Ardoz, Arganda del Rey and Valdemoro. When Carlos III expelled the order from Spain, the land in Torrejón had already become one of the most extensive and fruitful in the region. The Casa Grande was then auctioned and was owned by a string of proprietors, until it was expropriated during the Spanish Civil War by the General Union of Workers (UGT) to use as a militia headquarters. The Guardia Civil later occupied the building, although it was beginning to deteriorate, and were removed in 1972. Although it was declared in ruins, the current owner acquired it and renovated it (the works were finished in 1989), to convert it into what it is today: a grand venue for catered events, with a surprising and unique Icons Museum to boot. It's also a fantastic way to see up close what a residence of one of the most important religious orders in Spain and Latin America was like.