Near Alto Vinalopó in Alicante, there’s a small village called Prados de Santa Eulalia, home to just a few families today.
But back at the end of the 19th century, it was the setting for a story no one could have predicted.
It all began with a young marriage
Doña María Avial Peñas married the Viscount of Alzira when she was 18, bringing a dowry from her father. Together, they invested in the lands owned by the Count of Alcudia and started a company to manage the estate.
The land grew into a successful business. Around it, they built homes, gardens, ponds, fountains, and statues. The grand palace of the Count of Santa Eulalia stood out, but the strangest building was the palace of the Viscountess herself.
Santa Eulalia: Home of the Cervantes Theatre
Their marriage was far from perfect. The Viscount, Don Mariano de Bertodano, and Viscountess María grew apart. She favoured Count Antonio de Padua, and soon the couple separated. María left her husband and stayed with the Count, eventually being known simply as The Countess. The business split up, and the lovers took control of the estate.
The place flourished with new entertainment spots: the Cervantes Theatre, an off-licence, and the Casinete – a casino run by the Countess.
However, the Count was known to be a womaniser, and the Countess grew bitter. She turned to gambling and wild nights at the casino.
Affairs and a tragic death
When the Count found out she knew about his affairs, he came back from Barcelona in a rage. But instead of anger, he was caught up in the Countess’s charm and lost all his money gambling at the casino-turned-brothel.
Drunk and broke, he stumbled outside. It is said the Count fell into the fountain by the palace, and drowned.
Santa Eulalia: A place of misfortune?
Locals say that whenever a woman who looks like the Countess appears, the Count returns from the afterlife.
It is also said that every family that has lived there has ended up separated in some way, as if the place itself brings misfortune.
