The Cordoban courtyards of the Palace of Viana.

Visiting the Palacio of Viana, you can take a historical tour through the evolution of the Cordoban courtyards and all this while walking through the same building.

The palace is 500 years old and the courtyards have always been the protagonists of its construction. Throughout the time the building has been growing and gained dimensions. In each amplication, a new patio was always set up.

It has been an inhabited house where a family lived until the end of the 20th century. Its owners have been noble, but have known how to enjoy and enhance at the same time the popular.

The houses with patio have existed for 4000 years a.c. This mode of construction was used in Palestine or Egypt, for example. The Romans designed their houses like that. Later, it was the Arabs who liked to live in enclosures with a patio.

The Cordovan patio is inherited all this millenarian tradition, probably due to the climatic conditions. In summer the heat is very big. You can reach 50 degrees in the shade. It is no coincidence that Córdoba is also called the "frying pan of Andalucía".

The patios provide freshness and humidity improving the temperature conditions of the house and making life more bearable.

In the Palace of Viana there are 13 courtyards. All very nice, relaxing and beautiful. They are very careful. In each one they have cultivated different plants, to create different sensations. It is very pleasant to listen to the calm flow of the water and the chirping of the birds, as well as to appreciate the subtle aromas.

The house is accessed through the Patio del Recibo and the stables were in it. The cover of the patio is Renaissance, of century XVI and was designed to show the power of this noble family.

From here you can follow an established itinerary touring all the courtyards one by one.

After the beginning you access a kind of neighborhood patio that is of medieval origin. It is the Patio de los Gatos and is of medieval origin. It was a patio shared by the community of neighbors who lived there rented.

The Patio de los Naranjos is from the XV century and reminds of the Arab gardens with its closed and intimate character. Water is the undoubted protagonist, combining with fruit trees and flowers.

The Patio del Archivo is a 18th century baroque patio. The windows of the familiar file of blue color give to this patio. I love the windows and doors of this indigo blue color.

The Patio de las Rejas is from the 17th century, Renaissance style and is open to the street for people to contemplate the elegance and power of this family.

The Patio de las Columnas is the most recent, it was built in the 80s, it is wide with the central ditch. Ideal for events.

The Patio de la Madama is an exquisite and refined romantic garden with cypresses together and cut out forming a pergola. In the center, hidden is the statue that pours water like a fountain.

The Patio de la Alberca where there is a greenhouse and is used mainly by gardeners.

The "Patio del Pozo" revolves around the well that is the one that supplies the water to irrigate all these gardens.

The part called "Garden of Viana" is a romantic and refined part. It was made in the nineteenth century and is very structured. For me, the most beautiful thing is the central circular fountain with sherds on the edge. The water is very beautiful where the leaves of the palm tree are reflected.

In the Patio de los Jardineros, the work tools employed by the gardeners of this palace in Córdoba are kept.

The Courtyard of the Chapel is called like that because it has a small attached chapel. It is from the 17th century although it was incorporated.

If you go to Cordoba book an hour to visit this house and its fabulous courtyards. There are guided tours of the house. Worth it.

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