Julio Romero de Torres Museum, Córdoba, Spain

The Julio Romero de Torres Museum is notable for containing the largest collection of the famous Cordoban painter Julio Romero de Torres. It is located in the building of the old Hospital of la Caridad, which also houses the Museum of Fine Arts of Córdoba.

After the death of Julio Romero de Torres on May 10, 1930, Francisca Pellicer, widow of the painter, and their children, Rafael, Amalia and María, decided to create a museum dedicated to the memory of the artist, bequeathing it to the city of Córdoba. So, in 1931, the museum was created and inaugurated by the president of the republic, Niceto Alcalá Zamora. In 1934, the adjoining house was purchased, and the current museum was inaugurated on May 24, 1936. The last remodeling dates back to 1992, for the installation of lighting and security systems, as well as for the renovation of part of the structures of the museum.

References:

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Museums in Spain

User Reviews

Philip Lindsay (6 months ago)
Outstanding. The vast majority of the works are by the artist himself - and he has a wonderful and distinctive style with echos of the Pre-Raphaelite. It's a must-see.

Tal Cohen (6 months ago)
An amazing amazing museum. What a beautiful paintings.

David Serra (7 months ago)
The paintings are beautiful, I would have loved to know/see more about the posters, the art nouveau and possible relations with Mucha or his Paris Travels. Once again, the entrance with having to book online...a mess. At least is for free until September. Once again, compared to Granada, I feel people are not particularly welcoming the tourist. A pity because would make this Beautiful city much more attractive...

Ed & Denise D. (13 months ago)
Well presented paintings/displays. Small and easy to navigate through the two floors of art. No photography allowed. Well worth the visit if you are into fine art. Allow about 1 hour for a thorough visit.

Felicity (14 months ago)
What a gem! Lovely staff, marble floors, rich red walls, unobtrusive guitar music & of course the singular paintings. It's all set in a a delightful courtyard in a charming square. English panels for each painting & a guidebook (€3) in English/French. €4 Entry.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Mezquita is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture.

According to a traditional account, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, originally stood on the site. In 784 Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers. The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd al-Rahman II ordered a new minaret, while in 961 Al-Hakam II enlarged the building and enriched the Mihrab. The last of such reforms was carried out by Almanzor in 987. It was connected to the Caliph"s palace by a raised walkway, mosques within the palaces being the tradition for previous Islamic rulers – as well as Christian Kings who built their palaces adjacent to churches. The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard.

In 1236, Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile, and the centre of the mosque was converted into a Catholic cathedral. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the mosque. The kings who followed added further Christian features, such as King Henry II rebuilding the chapel in the 14th century. The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral. It was adorned with Santiago de Compostela"s captured cathedral bells. Following a windstorm in 1589, the former minaret was further reinforced by encasing it within a new structure.

The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, king of Castile and Aragon. Artisans and architects continued to add to the existing structure until the late 18th century.

Architecture

The building"s floor plan is seen to be parallel to some of the earliest mosques built from the very beginning of Islam. It had a rectangular prayer hall with aisles arranged perpendicular to the qibla, the direction towards which Muslims pray. The prayer hall was large and flat, with timber ceilings held up by arches of horseshoe-like appearance.

In planning the mosque, the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various regions of Iberia as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and azulejos were designed. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture into one composition.

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch.

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