Palacio de Viana, Córdoba, Spain

Palacio de Viana was established as the family estate in 1492 by Gómez Suárez de Figuroea. He died childless and was succeeded by his nephew. The original house has experienced numerous alterations up to our days, of which we can highlight the extension in the 17th century, which gave it its current appearance to a great extent.

The palace covers a surface of more than 6,500 square metres, of which almost 4,000 of them correspond to courtyards, gardens and open spaces. Visitors, more than 70,000 every year, are especially attracted by the elegant patios and the superb 18th century garden of this palace which has lately become a museum, thanks to the collaboration of an important institution in the town.

Palaces, manors and town halls in Spain

User Reviews

luke carey (2 months ago)
I think the palace is great. It had some really nice patios. I would recommend to visit if you come to Cordoba.

Arber Ibra (2 months ago)
Amazing place. Loved every part of it

vassilios marinis (2 months ago)
Viana Palace is a palace-museum in the city of Córdoba ( Spain ), located in the Santa Marina neighborhood . On March 27, 1981, it was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Monument category. The palace was built in the 15th century and has been expanded over the centuries. Its name comes from the Marquisate of Viana , the last family that owned the property. In 1981, after being acquired by the CajaSur Foundation , it was opened to the public for the first time with its twelve patios, the garden and the interior of the palace, which would make about 6,500 square meters. In 2019 it received more than 193,000 visitors, being one of the most touristic cultural spaces in Córdoba.

Julie Stroud (7 months ago)
Beautiful Renaissance/Baroque palace with gardens. 12 of them! I went today because it was free admission. Wonderful example of period architecture and art. I was grateful to have English translations of the signs explaining what was in each area, but wish there had been more signs explaining the Roman artifacts found during renovations of the building site. I think it would be worth paying to see.

Douglas Woolf (15 months ago)
A must visit attraction in Cordoba. This house with 12 patios and a garden is well worth seeking out. As well as the patios the house interiors are stunning with precious tapestries, furniture and paintings.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright twiga-swala

Historic Site of the week

Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

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Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

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