After lunch we went to see what Doug indicated was the first "Andalucian Style" palace. We arrived just in time for the English guided tour which included the upper level which was furnished with personal belongings of the family (including an extensive collection of ornamental pigs!). The lower levels consist of empty tiled rooms and that no doubt were filled at one time. We were told that the tapestries in the upper levels help keep the rooms warm in the winter and the tiles kept the rooms cool in the summer and the family would move between levels with the seasonal change. There were numerous interesting comments made during the tour although we could not always understand our guide due to her Spanish accent. For example, there was one painting showing a woman using a fan, there was a non verbal language between men and women involving the fan. For example, interest could be expressed yes or no about meeting up; if a woman wanted to meet at 3:30 she would tap her right shoulder 3 times and the left once. If a man was engaged he would hold his hat a certain way. As she said it was "the old Facebook"! The gardens were special, both beautiful and had an "old world charm" that you can not replicate without many years going by. Everywhere we look, people make use of even 12 inches of balcony space and that is their outdoors. Upper floor patios are well planted (pots) and covered. After our visit, Nancy bought a Seville Christmas ornament tile as a souvenir.
Casa de Pilatos was built in the 16th century by order of Don Pedro Enriquez and later by his son Fadrique Enriques de Ribera. This is the most beautiful palace in Seville, after the Alcazar, and it is one of the most best-preserved buildings from the 16th century. The "House of Pilatos" is named after the house of Pontius Pilate, by whom Fadrique Enriques de Ribera was inspired during his pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Different styles were combined in the construction of this palace, such as Gothic, Mudéjar and Italian Renaissance styles. The Casa de Pilatos has a beautifully decorated patio with a well and fountain. The palace has many marble columns and floors, long corridors, ceiling paintings, large wooden doors, mudéjar tiles (Azulejos), chapels and especially a beautiful and colourful palace garden in Italian style.
Nowadays, this palace is still partly inhabited and is the residence of the 18th Duchess of Medinacelli and her family.Read more