We head for another street close to the Mosque-Cathedral, Encarnación Street, which is named after the old enclosed Cistercian convent, whose origin goes back to the 16th century, as well as the courtyard we are talking about, the one on 11, Encarnación Street, according to its owner.
Rosario, its owner, inherited the house from her aunt María del Valle Jiménez, whom she remembers with nostalgia, as it was her who taught her most of what she knows. Since the 1960s, María del Valle had been preparing the courtyard, until she died in 2003, right after closing one of the yearly contests, tells Rosario.
A narrow corridor leads us to a small courtyard. However, this is not a problem, quite the opposite, as it adds a great freshness and colour to the house. The courtyard has a portico in the shape of an “L” with round arches over yellow columns and pillars. Through this portico we can get to different areas of the house, and its higher floor by climbing a narrow stairway on the right.
It is difficult to enter the courtyard, as its reduced space is completely full of green pots with different types of plants. From the piece of floor we can see, it is made of the traditional pebbles from Córdoba and in its borders there is a trim with stones of a different colour. In the centre there is a beautiful white stone fountain, with a marble base and the shape of a scallop shell. In May, Rosario usually fills it with water and covers it with pink bougainvillae, thus creating a spectacular effect in the courtyard.
Next to the fountain, the most outstanding thing in the courtyard is the clay “comb” consisting of two rows of tiles. Rosario tells us that local writer Antonio Gala visited the courtyard in May 2010, and was captivated by the complex.
The whole area around the courtyard is covered, up to a middle height, by tiles forming an elegant geometrical design in blue colours, which contrasts with the bright green from the plants and other colours from the flowers in the courtyard. On the other hand, the windows are barely outstanding, as they are white with green glass, although they provide the complex with harmony and highlight the importance of vegetation.
If you are wondering what to do in Córdoba, we recommend you visit the Courtyards in Córdoba hiring one of our guided tours. We will dedicate there a special chapter to the Courtyard on 11, Encarnación Street. Choose to do high quality sightseeing with qualified staff. Do not hesitate, ArtenCórdoba is the best option.
Text: J.A.S.C.
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