The palace of the Marquises of Priego

In 1508, King Ferdinand the Catholic decided to raze the Montilla castle, province of Córdoba, to the ground. The Marquises of Priego needed new accommodation fast. They chose this sober palace, which has since grown into one of the most important buildings in the city.

Catalina Fernández de Córdoba played a leading role in the history of this palace. As a great art lover and patron, she transformed the building into a cultural center where arts and sciences flourished. Her influence on Montilla was immense.

Simple yet refined

Architects went for a sober design. The golden stone facade radiates calm, without fuss or excess. In the sixteenth century, the palace got a major extension. Restorations followed later. Today, the building consists of two private residences.

The facade has two floors with windows neatly aligned above each other. On the right you'll find the main entrance, the only part where the architect really went all out. The door is full of ornaments and above the balcony hang the coats of arms of the Priego and Feria families.

Connection to the convent

On the left side of the facade lies the compás, a passage connecting the palace with the Poor Clares convent. Through this passageway you reach Benedict XIII Street. Handy for the marquises who liked to get to mass quickly.

The facade is all you see of the palace. Much happens inside, but that remains private. The style is typically Mannerist: tight, sober and without frills.

The Santa Clara Arch

On the other side of the facade stands the Arco de Santa Clara, a semicircular arch that served as a direct connection to the convent. This passage made it easy for the marquises to commute between palace and convent without having to go into the street.

The palace breathes history. Yet it's not a museum you can walk into. The facade tells the tale, the rest remains secluded behind those thick walls of golden stone.

(c) photo and source: www.montillaturismo.es