We had never heard of this festival before travelling to Cordoba. It takes place every year during the first two weeks of May and before I start getting really excited, about the preparations we saw whilst there, I have to share how historically fascinating it was to learn about how it all began.
On Day 2 in Cordoba we started the day by visiting the Archeological Museum. As museums of this subject go it isn’t all that big but does have some interesting antiquities going back to Roman times. Whilst there, we learnt that when the Romans came to Cordoba in 206 BC they built houses in a specific design. Due to the hot, dry climate houses centred around an inner courtyard (patio in Spanish) open to the sky. There was often a beautiful centrepiece, quite often a fountain and also a well to collect rainwater.
When the Moslems arrived and Córdoba became the capital of Islamic Spain in 756 AD they gave houses an entrance from the street which passed through a porch and started filling the courtyards with plants and water features as a way to keep homes cool and fresh. I find this even more interesting given that I live in an area of England where the Romans were prominent. I guess the English climate wasn’t as conducive to this style of living.
Over the centuries homeowners have developed their courtyards, through their own creativity and imagination, and patio decoration ended up taking on a life all of its own. Eventually someone realised that these hidden treasures were just too good to be kept tucked away behind heavy doors and iron grates. So, once a year, the doors open and everyone is invited in to see the wonders of Córdoba’s patios. The Patio contest is sponsored by the Córdoba City Hall and began in 1918. Again celebrations have grown over time with the inclusion of the “Battle of the Flowers” and May Crosses Festival.
These patios not only offer a chance to admire an array of colourful flowers but also an opportunity to appreciate the efforts that homeowners have made with beautiful stone mosaics and ceramic decorations. The amalgamation of floral scents such has jasmine and orange blossom alongside herbal plants such as oregano and basil assault your senses as you wander in off the street.
As a visitor to the festival you not only get to view private homes with such central patios but also larger apartment style buildings with ambitious patios where often many families work together to produce a beautiful shared meeting area.
We, visited Cordoba last week, in mid March but some of the patios are already open for viewing. They are free to visit and our hotel receptionist guided us where to look using a Cordoba city map but there is also a QR code you can pick up on your mobile which produces a map of those open.
Furthermore we visited the Palacio de Viana. The house, itself dates back to the 14th century but the main attraction for its 70,000+ visitors each year is the fantastic 18th century gardens divided into 12 patios. So stunning are the layouts that Vianna has become known as the Museum of the Patios. The layout is such that each patio sort of sneaks up on you. It might be that you turn a corner or wander through an open gateway and suddenly there before you is another secluded patio.
Each area has its own theme described on the entry board in Spanish and English for example “The Courtyard of the Oranges” which features, not surprisingly, orange trees but these are 100 years old!
I was just enchanted and my mind was buzzing with the idea of taking all this information home with me. Not to create a courtyard within my home, as I’m sure English planning laws would probably have something to say about that, but to segment my 120 foot garden and create my own private patio areas.
Needless to say The Courtyards Festival has been added to our list of future adventures and I seriously cannot wait to experience it!
This my final post of a series of three about Cordoba as part of our tour of Western Europe. Want to know more about this fascinating city? Why not check out the other two posts?
A Midlife Adventure 