Córdoba Patio Festival: Discover the Magic!

Córdoba’s annual Feria de los Patios is a colorful festival with courtyard decorating competitions. It starts on May 2, 2024, and ends on May 12, 2024.  The Andalusian courtyards are renowned for their ornate decorations, which include flowers, fountains, tiles, and other elements. Cordoba opens its alleyways, courtyards, balconies, and corners to the public, and the city transformed into a visual feast of floral pleasures.

 

1- When to visit Cordoba?

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The best time to visit Cordoba would be during the Festival of the Patios held during the first week of May. This event offers visitors the chance to appreciate the impressive courtyards of each participant. The festival celebrates the city’s traditional architecture and its residents’ contributions to it. In addition, patios are decorated with flowers and other materials. The best designs are awarded based on architectural value, originality, and floral decoration.

 

2- History of the Patios in Cordoba:

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The Andalusian summer can be unbearably hot and dry, so it’s no wonder that ancient Roman and Greek inhabitants of Córdoba started building their houses with a central patio decorated with water fountains and wells. During the Muslim kingdom, the patios would be planted with plants and trees, keeping local homes cooler and sheltered from the sun’s rays. And then, the patios started being decorated with flowers, giving us the patios we know and love today! In 1921, the incredible first Patios Festival in Córdoba took place. In 2002, UNESCO included it in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity!

 

3- Patios of Palacio de Viana:

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Córdoba is full of incredible private courtyards, but the city also has a unique attraction: the 14th-century building popularly known as The Museum of the Courtyards. Moreover, this beautiful site displays about 11 lush courtyards for all tastes! Imagine stepping inside and being surrounded by the beauty of these stunning indoor gardens. They represent a fascinating fusion of Roman and Andalusian styles, creating something unique.

Palacio de Viana is a one of the best attractions to see in Cordoba. This beautiful place offers a picturesque view of the courtyards and a combination of architectural styles. The Spanish Viana family lived here from 1425 until the 1980s.

The palace has 500 years of furniture, artwork, decorations, books, fabric, wall coverings, chandeliers, and other items. It opened to the public in 1981 and shows Spanish nobility over five centuries.

The palace has 11 courtyards, all different and pretty. One is called the Patio of the Gardeners. There’s also a big garden, 12 meters long. It has a Baroque style and Arab influences.

 

4- What To See in Palacio De Viana?

 

Receiving Yard:

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The main entrance to the Palacio de Viana is the Receipt Courtyard. Built to impress guests, it shows off the building’s importance. The courtyard has a shape that matches the original construction and surrounded by a gallery with sixteen columns.

 

Cats Yard:

The Cats Yard (Patio de los Gatos) neighborhood is one of the oldest in the city and has medieval roots. Its popularity is evident in the white walls covered in pots. This yard was part of the Casas de la Puentezuela de Tres Caos. In 1545, Gómez de Figueroa bought the cottages for his wife to rent.

 

Courtyard Yard Of Orange Trees:

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The Patio de Los Naranjos sits next to the promenade. Enjoy the smell of orange blossoms, the sound of water, the darkness, and the plants. The Hispano-Muslim gardens influenced the design of this patio. Plants and water are the main features in these quiet, calm areas.  The century-old orange trees in this courtyard show how cutting-edge methods can be used to serve both an aesthetic and an agricultural purpose.

 

 Lady’s Patio:

The Patio de la Madama was built in the 18th century as part of renovations to the palace by its owners, Ana Rafaela Fernández de Mesa and Fernando Cabrera Gómez de Cárdenas. It is named after a naiad from Greek mythology. The Romans used sculptures of gods and goddesses in their gardens.

 

Pool Courtyard:

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The Patio de la Alberca, Patio del Pozo, and Patio de los Jardineros belonged to the Torres Cabrera counts. In the 19th century, the owner traded it for a farmhouse, which became part of Palacio de Viana. Two structures stand out in this area: the pool and the greenhouse. When it was accessible to the public in the 1980s, the first was moved from the adjacent Patio del Pozo to this patio to help visitors move around more easily.

 

Gardeners Courtyard:

This courtyard has a simple well that draws water from a hidden underground stream. The black wrought iron and the brick pavement stand out against the white hexagonal curbstone. Inside, there are four water wheel buckets. When the palace opened, the pool moved to a patio next door. A fountain on the palace wall reads, “Source of Doa Leonor,” a water source named after one of the Marquis de Viana’s daughters.

 

5- Types of Patios in Cordoba:

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In Córdoba, patios come in two main types: private ones in single-family homes or neighbor homes. These neighbor homes face the interior patio, while the single-family homes face out. Besides, this type is rarer. The second type is monument patios, which are public buildings with patios. The most famous is the Viana Palace, open year-round with 12 courtyards.

 

6- WHERE ARE THEY?

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The Alcázar Viejo district is the most characteristic. It’s between the Alcázar and the parish of San Basilio. There are many other districts with beautiful old courtyards. For example, the old Jewish quarter has stunning courtyards.