6 – 19 May 2019
The Cordoba Patio Festival is a feast for the senses. For 2 weeks each May, the Cordobeses throw open the gates and doors to their private patios and reveal the hidden floral delights they have been working on all year-long.
Since 1918, Córdoba bursts into bloom with special festivities in the month of May. Starting off with a parade known as the Battle of the Flowers (La Batalla de las Flores), the city officially launches its spring celebrations. The Patio Competition (La Fiesta de los Patios de Córdoba) is sponsored by the Córdoba City Hall and began in 1918. To better understand why a contest of this type was created in Córdoba you should know something about the local architecture.
History
Homes in Cordoba were built with a central patio because of the hot and dry climate. This was a tradition since the days of the Romans and continued on by the Moors. In fact, this design is still in use in modern day design. As a way of keeping homes cool, people filled the central patio with plants and water features. At some point, someone realized that the beautiful patio gardens shouldn’t be kept hidden behind the heavy doors and iron gates. So, once a year, everyone is invited in to see and enjoy the Cordoba patios.
Behind the heavy doors and iron gates, you will find a visual feast of stone mosaics, ceramic decoration and colorful flowers and also enjoy the scents of jasmine, orange blossom and many other plants and flowers that help bring the city come to life!
Practical Information for Tourists
The 50+ Patios from the competition are open ‘free’ to the public. The amount of patios change each year and the same with the routes. You can find an interactive map with all the suggested routes on the Puerta de los Patios website or download the app to your phone or tablet from the app store. This website is updated every year with the new routes and all open patios, so it’s accurate and a great tool to have in your pocket. There is no entrance fee but there is usually a collection box by the door to leave a tip. The Patios have unusual opening hours, they close between the hours of 2pm until 6pm in the afternoon. The patios are always open from 11am to 2pm and from 6pm to 10pm; some will raimain open later on Friday and Saturday.
Patios During Siesta Time
There are three patios during Siesta that are open from 14.00 to 20.00 so that you can visit when others are closed in the afternoon and take a siesta. Palacio de Orive (Plaza de Orive s/n), Zoco Municipal (C/Judios s/n), Rey Heredia, 22 (Espacio cultural).
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