The Palacio de la Magdalena was built between 1909 and 1911, by popular subscription, to house the Spanish Royal Family. Built by the architects Javier González Riancho and Gonzalo Bringas Vega, is located in the place where the old Fort of San Salvador de Hano was, which protected the entrance to the bay.
The design and construction of the palace were overseen by architects Javier González de Riancho and Gonzalo Bringas Vega, with construction completed in 1912. King Alfonso XIII and his family first arrived at the Palacio de la Magdalena on August 4, 1913, and returned annually to summer at the palace through 1930. The royal family used the palace as a base for numerous recreational and sporting activities, and the king sometimes also held government meetings at the property. The annual trips ended with the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931.
Beginning in 1932, the palace was used to host summer courses through the Menéndez Pelayo International University. In 1977 the Count of Barcelona sold the palace and the peninsula back to the city of Santander for 150 million pesetas. The palace was declared an historical monument in 1982 and renovated between 1993 and 1995. It is the most visited place in the city of Santander and continues to be used as a conference and meeting hall to the present day.
The building has an eclectic style, combining English, French, and regional architectural styles. It has two points of entry, a north entrance with a Porte-cochère for carriages, and a second entrance to the south which was designed as the main entrance. The building is covered with stone masonry slate. The highlight of the interior is the reception rooms, which hold paintings of interest by artists such as Luis Benedito, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, and Fernando Alvarez Sotomayor.
The stables were designed by Javier González de Riancho. They emulate a medieval English village with sharp roofs of steep slopes and wooden tiles. After summer courses were started, the stables were converted to student dormitories.
Stobi was an ancient town of Paeonia located near Gradsko. It is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in North Macedonia. Stobi was built where the Erigon (Crna River) joins the Axios (Vardar), making it strategically important as a center for both trade and warfare.
Stobi developed from a Paeonian settlement established in the Archaic period. It is believed that in 217 BCE, Philip V annexed Paionia during his campaign against the Dardani who had entered Bylazora, the largest Paeonian town.
The city was first mentioned in writing by the historian Livy, in connection with a victory of Philip V of Macedon over the Dardani in 197 BC. In 168 BC, the Romans defeated Perseus and Macedonia was divided into four nominally independent republics. In 148 BC, the four areas of Macedonia were brought together in a unified Roman province. In the reign of Augustus the city grew in size and population.