Villa Magdalena
A bourgeois mansion surrounded by gardens in Oviedo’s western expansion. Villa Magdalena was designed in 1902 by Juan Miguel de la Guardia, Oviedo’s municipal architect and the author of numerous buildings that helped transform the city between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Villa Magdalena · Avenida de Galicia · Oviedo
A villa in the new bourgeois Oviedo
The mansion was built on what was then known as Paseo de la Silla del Rey, an area of urban expansion characterised by villas and residences surrounded by gardens. It is one of the most complete surviving examples in Oviedo of these detached bourgeois residences, often described at the time as “hotels”.
From Villa Rosita to Villa Magdalena
The building was commissioned by Victoriano González Campomanes, a merchant who owned an important grocery business on Calle Uría. In its early years the residence was known as Villa Rosita.
During the First World War it passed into the hands of an industrialist from Mieres, and the property later changed owners again. Its present name comes from María Magdalena Argüelles Álvarez-Campa, wife of the financier Alfredo Figaredo Herrero, who acquired the mansion.
French-influenced eclectic architecture
Juan Miguel de la Guardia designed a representative residence in an eclectic, French-influenced style. Unlike an urban building set between party walls, the mansion can be viewed from different angles thanks to the garden that surrounds it.
The composition freely combines different volumes. Notable features include the entrance staircase, projecting sections, the tower and the former attached conservatory. This variety creates a picturesque silhouette, very different from the continuous façades of the urban expansion districts.
The interior was arranged to suit the lifestyle of a wealthy family, with an entrance hall, staircases, private rooms, sitting rooms and reception rooms intended both for family life and for social entertaining.
The 1940 renovation
The building’s present appearance is not solely the result of the 1902 design. In 1940, the architects Francisco and Federico Somolinos carried out a renovation of the mansion.
Despite these changes, the complex retains its essential character as a detached bourgeois villa and remains a distinctive example of residential architecture in Oviedo.
From private residence to public building
After a lengthy expropriation process, Villa Magdalena became municipal property in the 1990s. Following restoration, it officially opened on 20 May 1999 as a public building and municipal library.
At different times it also housed offices of the Fundación Príncipe de Asturias, now the Fundación Princesa de Asturias. Over time, the mansion broadened its role as a public facility and today forms part of Oviedo’s network of Social Centres.
Villa Magdalena in 2026
Villa Magdalena Social Centre temporarily closed on 1 June 2026 for improvement works. The work was carried out during the summer and the centre resumed its activities before the start of the new season.
On 2 September 2026 it hosted an open day to present the programme of Oviedo’s social centres, confirming the reopening of the building and the continuation of its public use.
Location and visit
Address: Avenida de Galicia, 36 · Oviedo.
Location: close to Plaza de América and surrounded by its garden.
Coordinates: 43.36282, -5.86440.
Current use: Villa Magdalena Social Centre. The garden provides views of the exterior of the mansion, while access to the interior depends on the centre’s opening hours and scheduled activities.