The Owners of the Palace of Viana

The aim of this small section is to present the different owners the house has had, from the 15th century to the present day. Over this long period, the Palace of Viana has had a total of 18 owners. That is quite a few, so we have decided to divide this period into 5 stages.

First Stage: Figueroa and Córdoba

This would be the longest stage, with a total of seven owners:

1. Gómez Suárez de Figueroa founded the entail in June 1492, died without descendants.
2. He was succeeded by his nephew, Bernardino de Figueroa y Córdoba.
3. Gómez de Figueroa y Córdoba, first Lord of Villaseca by royal grant in 1559. He acquired an adjoining house, where the Patio de los Gatos is now located, although he lost it in a lawsuit against his own daughter in 1561.
4. Luis Gómez de Figueroa y Córdoba, second Lord of Villaseca. He is responsible for the current layout of the Main or Reception Courtyard.
5. Gómez de Figueroa y Córdoba, third Lord of Villaseca. He carried out the construction of the Patio de las Rejas.
6. Luis Gómez Bernardo Fernández de Córdoba y Figueroa, fourth Lord of Villaseca. He recovered the property lost by Gómez de Figueroa y Córdoba, reincorporating into the palace the enclosure housing the Patio de los Gatos.
7. Gómez Fernández de Córdoba y Figueroa, first Marquis of Villaseca by grant of Philip V. He died without descendants and was succeeded by his nephew.

Second Stage: Fernández de Mesa

Marquises of Villaseca. There were four owners:

8. Alonso Fernández de Mesa y Argote, second Marquis of Villaseca.
9. Diego Fernández de Mesa Argote y Fernández de Córdoba, third Marquis of Villaseca. He died without descendants and was succeeded by his brother.
10. Pedro Fernández de Mesa Argote y Fernández de Córdoba, fifth Marquis of Villaseca. He was succeeded by his daughter Ana Rafaela.
11. Ana Rafaela Fernández de Mesa y Argote. The marchioness was responsible for the major renovations the palace underwent throughout the 18th century, such as the creation of the Viana Historical Archive, the Archive Courtyard, or the remodeling of the Patio de la Madama. The marchioness married Fernando Cabrera Gómez de Cárdenas y de la Cerda, Count of Villanueva de Cárdenas, uniting the marquisate and the county, both inherited by their son Diego Rafael.

Third Stage: Cabrera

Marquises of Villaseca and Counts of Villanueva de Cárdenas. There were four owners:

12. Diego Rafael Cabrera y Fernández de Mesa, seventh Marquis of Villaseca and Count of Villanueva de Cárdenas. In 1814 he incorporated the Torres Cabrera house into the palace, increasing its area. The spaces integrated today include the Garden and the courtyards of the Alberca, the Well, the Gardeners, the Chapel, and the Gate.
13. Fernando Rafael Cabrera y Pérez de Saavedra, eighth Marquis of Villaseca.
14. Juan Bautista Cabrera y Bernuy. He died without descendants, naming his wife María del Carmen as heir to his estate.
15. María del Carmen Pérez de Barradas y Bernuy. The marchioness married for the second time Teovaldo Saavedra y Cueto, first Marquis of Viana, and son of the Duke of Rivas. The marchioness also had no descendants with Don Teovaldo, so it was her nephew, José Saavedra y Salamanca, who inherited the entire fortune and titles of the marquises.

Fourth Stage: Saavedra

Marquises of Viana. There were three owners, until the arrival of the financial institution Cajasur:

16. José Saavedra y Salamanca, second Marquis of Viana. A career military officer and personal friend of Alfonso XIII, he was determined to turn the palace into a museum, acquiring several collections such as tiles, leathers, the library…
17. Fausto Saavedra y Collado, third Marquis of Viana. He died without descendants, naming his wife Sofía Amelia as heir to his estate.
18. Sofía Amelia de Lancaster y Bleck, third Marchioness of Viana. Much of the current appearance of the palace is thanks to her, as she brought numerous works of art and furniture from her palace in Madrid, such as the tapestries in the Gobelins Room. In 1980 she sold the palace to Cajasur.

Fifth Stage: Cajasur

Its current owner. Shortly before the death of Fausto Saavedra y Collado, the marquises tried to sell the palace in France, which led to public outcry. Finally, in October 1981, the Palace of Viana opened its doors to the city. If you’re unsure what to do in Córdoba, we recommend visiting the Palace of Viana by booking one of our guided tours. Choose to do quality tourism with qualified staff: ArtenCórdoba is the best option.

Text: J.A.S.C.