First edition of Don Quixote at the Liria Palace: A unique treasure

Few literary works have achieved the universal transcendence of Don Quixote de la Mancha. Considered the first modern novel and one of the pillars of Western literature, its first edition is today one of the world's great bibliographic treasures. In Madrid, the Palacio de Liria preserves an exceptional copy of this original edition, integrating it into one of the most important private historical libraries in Europe. This article explores its value, its history and the unique opportunity to contemplate it in an incomparable heritage environment.

H2: What is the First Edition of Don Quixote?

The first edition of Don Quixote corresponds to the publication of First Part of Don Quixote de la Mancha, printed in Madrid in 1605 by Juan de la Cuesta, based on the manuscript of Miguel de Cervantes. This is the first printed testimony of a work that forever transformed the European narrative.

Unlike later editions, this print features errata, textual variants and typographic solutions typical of the printing press of the Golden Age, making it an essential source for philologists, historians and literary specialists.

H3: Why is the first edition of Don Quixote so important?

The value of the first edition of the Quixote it does not only reside in its antiquity. It's important because:

• It marks the birth of a new way of storytelling.
• It reflects the editorial and cultural context of the 17th century.
• It allows us to study the evolution of the text and the printer's decisions.
• It is an extremely scarce and fragile work.

For this reason, the historical value of the first edition of Don Quixote is incalculable, both from a literary and heritage point of view.

H2: The First Edition of Don Quixote at the Liria Palace: History and Exclusivity

The Liria Palace houses one of the most important noble libraries in Spain. It houses unique manuscripts, incunabula and editions that document centuries of cultural history. Among these collections, the first edition of Don Quixote stands out, guarded as one of the most valuable jewels in the collection.

Its conservation meets strict preservation criteria, which makes its contemplation an exceptional and rare experience even within the panorama of historic libraries in Madrid.

H3: How did the first edition of Don Quixote arrive in the Casa de Alba collection?

The presence of this work in the collection is explained by the bibliographic tradition of the Alba's House, one of the great European noble families, whose library was formed over the centuries through acquisitions, inheritances and intellectual links.

Despite the documentary destruction caused by the November 1936 fire at the Palacio de Liria, in which 90% of the administrative documents were lost, researchers and conservators of the archive agree that it is very likely that this edition was obtained through the 10th Count of Lemos, one of the current branches of the Casa de Alba, who had a very close relationship with the author and financed the second part of the most read novel in Spanish worldwide.

The interest in literature, humanist thought and the history of Spain led to the preservation and maintenance of fundamental works of the literary canon, including this early edition of Quixote, which today forms part of the cultural heritage guarded by the Casa de Alba Foundation.