Main Staircase of the Viana Palace
We enter the Main or Reception Courtyard, to which we must return. In one of the corners of the courtyard, a small corridor opens up where the door giving access to the Main Staircase is located, which in turn leads us to the main floor.
Architectural Description
Built in stone at the end of the 16th century, it has been very well preserved. The Main Staircase consists of two clearly differentiated flights with an intermediate landing, standing out for its balustrade, decorated with geometric elements such as rhombuses and circles, characteristic of the style of the time. At the intersection of the balustrades of the two flights, there is an open space, which the author used to place a coat of arms that apparently may have belonged to the Figueroa y Córdoba, the first tenants of the Palace of Viana.
Access to the Main Floor
Access to the noble area of the palace is designed through two semicircular arches made of brick, supported by a smooth shaft column with a Tuscan capital, which in turn rests on a small balustrade adorned with two Serlianas, a decorative motif consisting of a semicircular opening flanked by two lintels; in this case, each Serliana is completed with three oculi: two oval ones above the lintels and a circular one above the semicircular arch. Due to this decorative feature, it is believed that the hand of Cordoban architect Juan de Ochoa can be seen in it, as this is a solution he reuses in other works, such as the Main Courtyard of the current Círculo de la Amistad.
Wooden Ceiling and Decorative Elements
The Main Staircase is covered by a splendid Mudejar coffered ceiling with fine lacework, also in excellent condition, with a notable center made of gilded wood with muqarnas, from which hangs the lamp that lights the room.
On the wall of the landing hangs an interesting heraldic tapestry. Additionally, we can observe torch holders, lanterns, a chest, or an Arab column with its beehive base and capital. This ostentatious staircase marks the transition between the blooming courtyards of the house and the luxurious and dazzling salons of the upper floor.
Visit to the Main Staircase
If you wish to discover the Main Staircase of the Palace of Viana, do not hesitate to book one of our guided tours. We are experts in the interpretation of Cordoba’s historical heritage. If you have chosen to do tourism in Córdoba, choose a quality option—choose ArtenCórdoba.
Text: J.A.S.C.
The Main Staircase is located at the end of a small hallway that branches off from one of the corners of the Main or Reception Courtyard, allowing access to the noble floor of the palace.
Built of stone in the late 16th century, the Main Staircase features two flights with a landing in between, highlighting its balustrade decorated with geometric motifs such as circles and diamonds, as well as a coat of arms attributed to the Figueroa and Córdoba.
Access is through two brick half-point arches, supported by a smooth-shaft column and a Tuscan capital, with a balustrade decorated by two serlianas that include oculi, a design associated with the architect Juan de Ochoa.
Notable features include the Mudejar coffered ceiling with a center of gilded mocárabes, a hanging lamp, an emblazoned tapestry on the landing, torches, lanterns, a chest, and an Arab column with a base and honeycomb capital.
The Main Staircase marks the transition between the courtyards of the palace and its luxurious salons, serving as a significant example of 16th-century noble art and architecture in Córdoba.
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