This palace was constructed in the 16th century and a long line of nobles lived here and often expanded the place until it had a dozen or so courtyards. Its entrance is a typical Renaissance mannerist embellishment on an otherwise plain wall. It’s the design of Juan Ochoa, an important Córdoban architect who often worked with his fellow mannerist, Hernán Ruiz III, (the grandson of the famous family of Andalusian architects.)
The doorway leads the tourist through to this very large reception courtyard pictured above. With the passing of the centuries, the fortunes of the owner of the house improved; the masters eventually became Marquises, (about as high as you could get without being a member of the royal family). This reception area would be appropriate for their rank. Note the Andalusian white walls broken by the blue rectangles of the upper windows and the porticoed arches of the first floor. The pavement is a brown and white pattern of small stones. Along the walls, tiles commemorate visits of kings like celebrity pictures in restaurants.
Another well-porticoed area is the Gate Courtyard which leads to the chapel (now an art gallery). At center is a baptismal font secularized into a fountain. Much of the additions and restorations have unearthed various ruins, thought to be Roman.
Here's the Patio de la Cancela with the floor of patterned stones.
A
Spanish bank purchased the site in 1980 and runs it as a public
service. It takes its name from one of its last owners, the
Marquis of Viana, a town in northern Spain.
Shown above is the most recent courtyard, the huge Patio de las Columnas (columns) which was intended to host outside musical events and weddings. This is a pasted-together picture which distorts the distant center where we see the bell tower of Saint Augustine’s church that we will visit in a moment.
This patio takes its name from the stone pillars that support the colonnade at left. This was intended to remind tourists of Granada’s Alhambra courtyards although the pond here is much narrower and the elaborately patterned sidewalks are much wider than what we would find at that much more famous Nasrid palace.
Eventually the additions (with courtyards) grew to about 70,000 square feet. But not all of the courtyards were huge. This one is called the Patio de los gatos (cats) and it suggests a Córdoban communal courtyard down to the wash basin with its deteriorated scrubbers...
...the wash basin would be protected by a canopy as at left in the above picture. The hanging pots of geraniums are typical of what we find in the old Arab Quarter where we began our tour. Those whose homes would surround such a patio would be expected to maintain it and water its plants. Somehow it seems more inviting than the shared laundry rooms of modern apartment complexes and probably encouraged more gossip on wash days. Has modern living traded community for convenience?
Enough of the soapbox! Above 's a view from the street Rejas de Don Gome through the wall of what is called (what else?) the Grille Courtyard.
Opposite the Grille Courtyard on the street is a modern sculpture perhaps inspired by Matisse's most kindest cuts: an olive-branch toting dove of peace. The art inside the palace may be better, but it is rather poorly lit, especially when compared to the Andalusian sun that daily spills over this metal, painting shadows at its feet.
Next we explore the exterior of the province of Cordoba’s house of parliament, a huge Trompe-l’œil structure called the Palacio de la Merced. Please join us by clicking here.|
Please join us in the following slide show to give Córdoba the viewing it deserves by clicking here. |
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