Miguel de Cervantes’ Birthplace Museum

The birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes has been much debated and questioned, and it was not until 1948 that Luis Astrana Marín, author of Vida ejemplar y heroica de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, made this place known as such. The Casa de Cervantes (Cervantes’ House) is located in the historic center of Alcalá de Henares, next to the Hospital de Antezana (Antezana Hospital), where it is believed that Rodrigo de Cervantes, the writer’s father, worked. As a result of this discovery, in 1954 the City Council purchased the property with the intention of creating a museum, and the building was ceded to the State.

The Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes (Cervantes’ Birthplace Museum), originally inaugurated in 1956 as the Cervantes Museum and Library, underwent reconstruction to restore the original building. The renovation included the creation of a garden and a new entrance on Calle Mayor (Mayor Street), replacing the previous entrance on Imagen Street. In 1985, the Casa de Cervantes (Cervantes’ House) was transferred to the Madrid City Council, which renovated some of the rooms between 1997 and 2003 while preserving the original elements.

The Cervantes’ Birthplace Museum is situated in the house where Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) was born and spent his early years. Its various rooms recreate the customs, tastes, and daily activities of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of the time. Additionally, the museum boasts a significant collection of Cervantes editions from various periods and languages, which are displayed in the temporary exhibition hall.

The rooms are arranged around a columned courtyard on two floors. At one end of the patio, there is a well with a stone curbstone that supplied water to the family. The first floor contains public and social rooms where guests and patients of Miguel de Cervantes’ father were received. The upper floor is reserved for private life, with bedrooms, a room dedicated to El Retablo del Maese Pedro (Don Quixote, II, ch. XXVI), and two rooms for temporary exhibitions.

The Casa de Cervantes provides a comprehensive program of activities, including workshops for children and teenagers, thematic visits, theatrical and musical shows, and conferences. These events take place throughout the year, with a special emphasis on important dates such as the Día del Libro (Day of the Book, April 23), the Noche de los museos (Night of the Museums, May), the Día Internacional del Museo (International Museum Day, May 18), and the Semana Cervantina (Cervantes Week, around October 9).