Courtyards of Córdoba: Introduction

The Festival of the Courtyards in Córdoba is one of the most representative and popular festivals in our city, and we can undoubtedly claim that it is the most famous one outside it, since there are numerous people every year who come from other cities, or even from other countries, to see our courtyards.

The contest of the Courtyards in Córdoba starts right after the May Crosses, and the courtyards are opened for two weeks for those who want to visit them. The first week is dedicated to the contest, whereas in the second one they are awarded their prizes. However, the courtyards remain opened in order to be visited, especially if they have been awarded a prize that year, as they usually catch more attention after the jury’s decision. Besides, there are usually open-air parties around those courtyards for the visitor to have a good time drinking some wine and listening to some local music.

The contest of the Courtyards in Córdoba is organised in two categories. On the one hand, there is the category of “Old Architecture”, where those courtyards that have barely experienced any remodelling and preserve their old appearance take part. Three first prizes and six second ones are awarded. The second category is called “Modern or Renewed Architecture”, with those courtyards that have experienced some changes in their structure or decoration, or those that are actually new but follow the example of the traditional ones. They are also awarded two main prizes and five second ones. To these categories we must add a series of courtyards which do not take part in the contest but they are also opened to the public.

On the other hand, there is another parallel contest organised, called Bars and Balconies, which takes place at the same time as the Courtyards in Córdoba. It consists of decorating houses’ bars and balconies with natural and flowery elements. In this contest there are up to three main prizes and three second ones.

This section has been organised around three itineraries, corresponding to the different neighbourhoods in the city. The user of this page can access some of them in order to learn about their features.

If you wish to know the Courtyards in Córdoba, 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.