The first of the courtyards we are going to visit is the Main Courtyard also known as Reception, as here is where guests were received when they came to visit the marquis and marchioness; this was the main access to the palace as we will see later.

This courtyard is visible from the outside and its main function is to act as a perfect entrance hall for the rest of the palace, and try to impress the visitor.

The Main Courtyard or Reception has a trapezoidal floor, almost rectangular, surrounded by arcade galleries on its ground floor, facing the outside through round arches over arches with plain shafts and Tuscan capital. It is noteworthy the absence of a column, which should be in the vertex where we came in. This is due to the need to enter the carts inside the facility back then. It is thought that, in the second floor, there could have been another arcade gallery, where there are currently lintelled windows painted in blue, which remind us of the old Muslim Córdoba.

On both sides of the door, two tiles decorated with inscriptions commemorate both royal visits: one of them by King Alfonso XIII, close friend of the second marquis of Viana, in the year 1921, and the other one by the Prince of Asturias, accompanied by his brother Prince Jaime, who stayed in the palace on his first visit to the city in 1927.

The vegetation is carefully looked after, and we can highlight clivias, yarrows, night-blooming jasmines, bougainvillaes and other more common vegetable species, which impregnate the surroundings of the courtyard with aroma and freshness. In the centre there is a tall palm tree, whose base is surrounded by coltsfoot, clivia and a box hedge, and its top goes over the roof of the house.

The floor of the Main Courtyard or Reception is covered by small stones, light and dark ones, forming decorative motifs which provide the space with great dynamism. It was made around 1923, following the example of that of the galleries, which is the oldest.

Both in the courtyard and the galleries surrounding it, we can appreciate numerous archaeological pieces, such as glazed earthenware jars, capitals, bases of columns… up to more than fifty items are preserved in this courtyard. It is important to highlight a small image of a “Gothic Virgin” from the 14th century, located in front of the main stairway, as well as a low-relief representing “The flagellation of Christ”. Both pieces are anonymous and are made in stone.

If you wish to know the Main Courtyard or Reception of Viana Palace, do not hesitate to hire one of our guided tours. We are experts in the interpretation of the historical heritage from Córdoba. If you have chosen to do sightseeing in Córdoba, choose a high quality option, choose ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.