Free Parking is available in the grounds to all Castle Visitors. The gift shop offers a wide range of souvenirs, postcards and gifts.
Francisco de Zurbarán lived from 1598 - 1664 in Spain.Between the departure of Velázquez to Madrid in 1623 and the rise to prominence of Murillo in the 1650s, Zurbarán was the leading painter in Seville. His pictures were mostly painted for Spanish religious orders. The distinctive style of Zurbarán was influenced by the realism of Caravaggio and his followers. His best work is both very direct and intensely spiritual. Zurbarán was born in Fuente de Cantos, near Badajoz. In 1617, after training in Seville, he returned to Llerena in his native province. By 1629 he was back in Seville, where he became the city's official painter. In 1634 he was in Madrid painting mythologies for the Buen Retiro, Philip IV's new palace, perhaps through the intervention of his friend Velázquez. His last years were not so successful and he died in Madrid in poverty. Copyright © 1993, The National Gallery, London |
Principal among the treasures of the Castle are the priceless paintings by Zurbarán depicting Jacob and his twelve sons. Bought from a pedlar in 1756, Bishop Trevor paid £125 for the set.
Read The Guardian's Simon Jenkins' account of the Zurbarans and their latest adventure
| Adults | £4.00 |
| Concessions (over 60 and children 13-16) | £3.00 |
| Children aged 12 and under (accompanied by a paying adult) | Free of charge |
| Special openings are available for groups of 25 or more - price on application | |
Easter Monday to end of July, |
|
| Sunday | 2:00pm - 5:00pm |
| Monday | 2:00pm - 5:00pm |
| (Last admission 4.30pm) | |
August | |
| Sunday | 2:00pm - 5:00pm |
| Monday | 2:00pm - 5:00pm |
| Wednesday | 2:00pm - 5:00pm |
| (Last admission 4.30pm) | |
The management reserves the right to close the Castle and Grounds to visitors on any particular day.
The surrounding parkland is open daily, 7:00am to sunset.
