A route to discover the hidden gems of Seville.

What are they?

One of the main delights of Seville are its typical palatial houses. These are stately homes which are known by their main interior courtyard, which are also known as ‘Sevillian Patios’.  They were constructed mainly by rich bourgeois families that settled in Seville during the period of trade with the Americas, and who brought with them elements of the renaissance which are steeped these structures. From the outside, if we think of European palaces, they look a little unremarkable, however, inside they are the authentic hidden treasures of Seville.

The Route

 1. Yanduri Palace

1, Puerta Jerez Square.

We start in Puerta Jerez, specifically at the building on the corner which is now the Santander Bank. It was the palace of the Marquises of Yanduri who built it at the beginning of the 20^th century in the French style. The colour white and the majestic courtyard dominate. This palace is connected to the gardens of the Alcazar, so that queen Victoria could visit her friend the marchioness of Yanduri.

2. House of the Province

1, Triunfo Square

We now head towards the square, in which the Cathedral and Alcazar is found, and go to the building which today is the House of the Province, in other words, a centre of knowledge for the province of Seville. It’s a large bourgeois house that dates from the 18^th century although the entrance was renovated in the 20^th century following the traditional late baroque style.  Nonetheless, its history goes back a lot further than that, as it was founded in the middle ages as a hospital -possibly a better word is a shelter- called the Hospital del Rey.

3. Salinas’ House

39, Mateos Gago Street.

We go up this street and at the en on the left there is the Salinas’ House, named after the family that owned it, it was built in the 17^th century by a merchant called Baltasar Jaen. The arched principle courtyard made out of Carrara marble, with its large tiled skirting board is of great beauty. You can also visit the rooms, likewise they have great historic value. With the passing of the years the house has belonged to various families until it arrived in the hands of the current owners, who decided to open it to the public with set visiting hours.

4. Pinelos’ House

12 Abades Street

Not too far away from the last house, we find this other jewel, Pinelos’ house. Although the building dates from the medieval ages, it was renovated in the 16^th century with renaissance elements. Its warden was Jeronimo Pinelo, son of a rich merchant and sponsor of the House of Trade. After his death the house was donated to the Cathedral Chapter, which used it as a home for the clergy until the 19^th century, when it was confiscated. After passing through various hands it became the property of the Seville City Council becoming the current seat of the Sevillian Royal Academy of Literature and the Royal Academy of Fine Art of Saint Isabel of Hungary.

5. Altamira Palace

1, Santa Maria la Blanca Street

Located next to the Santa Maria la Blanca Church it is now the Regional Government of Andalusia’s Department of Culture headquarters.  At the beginning of the 15^th century the King gave these lands to the Stuniga family, who built this palace which with its mudejar roots is an imitation of the Alcazar. However, only a few examples are conserved as the house passed through many different families -in this number is the Altamiras family, after which it was named-, all of whom moulded it to their tastes, such as the construction of the facade in the 17^th century. But it biggest deformation was when it was turned into a tenement house.  In the 20^th century it was recovered by the local government, who renovated it, trying to recapture its former look.

6. Mañaras’ Palace

27, Levies Street

We continue our route towards the nearby Mañaras’ Palace which is another regional government building. This is also a house with its in roots in the renaissance, it was bought in the 17^th century by Tomas Mañara. who then renovated it to adapt it to the fashion of the time.  It greatly deteriorated during the French occupation at the beginning of the 19th century. Finally, at the end of the last century, the local government acquired the building to give it its current style. The large patio and its elegant arches tell us that it was a great dwelling in its time of splendour, reserved for the most affluent families.

7. Pilate’s House

1, Pilatos Square

The most famous palatial house cannot be missed off this route, as it is the most representive of the Sevillian stately architecture. Pilate’s house was founded at the end of the 15^th century by the noble Catalina de Ribera, and her husband Pedro Enriquez as a palace for the family, one of the most powerful of the city. But it was her son and heir that gave it its current features, a mix of the gothic-mudejar styles and the renaissance, with its high tiled skirting boards which decorate the ground floor. Inspired by the Alcazar, its beauty and history turn it into a highly recommendable place to visit.

8. Villapanes Palace

31, Santiago Street

Very close to here, we find the current “Hotel Palacio de Villapanés”, a five star hotel whose company took special care with the preservation of its historical elements. It’s a palace which, unlike the others, was built in the 18^th century and is considered to be one of the best examples of civil Baroque architecture in Seville. The person behind it was Admiral Manuel Lopez Pintado, who built it as his residence. However, it wears the name of its last owners, the Marquis of Villapanes.

9. Dueñas Palace

5, Dueñas Street

The next on our walk is the famous Dueñas Palace, which belongs today to the House of Alba. Its origins date back to the medieval times with the Pineda family, who sold it at the end of the 15^th century to Catalina de Ribera, the founder of Pilate’s House. Consequently, both palaces have a certain similarity, as here too there in the combination of gothic-mudejar and renaissance elements as well as the typical Sevillian ceramics. It contains a collection of Spanish art that is worth taking a look at and is also known for being the birthplace of the poet Antonio Machado, as his family lived here in a rent flat. A few years ago the Casa de Alba decided to open it to the public with set opening times.

10. Lissen House

San Andres Square, on the corner with Cervantes Street

This is different from the other houses we’ve seen until now, as it’s a historical style palace built at the beginning of the 20^th century, work by the architect Jose Espiau. The Family Lissen had prospered through the oil business and commissioned the artist to renovate the whole building to create a residence in the regionalist style, which was fashionable at the time. Its rich decoration of ceramics and tiles together with the interior courtyard make this relatively unknown place worth visiting. Today it also belongs to the offices of the regional government.

11. The Countess of Lebrija Palace

8, Cuna Street

The last place we visit is this building, which although dates from the 15^th century, it acquired its limelight in 1902 when it was bought by Lady Regla Manjon, Countess of Lebrija. Not only did she renovate the palace in the Regionalist style but also used it as an authentic museum to preserve unique pieces coming from the ruins of Italica. Lady Regla had a true passion for archaeology, so much so that she collected all types of roman artefacts and showed them in the palace. In the group, her collection of mosaics really stand out. Some of them decorate the whole of the central courtyard, giving the residence both a sense of a museum and a liveable home.

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I hope this route has awoken your curiosity for the palatial houses. You can visit those that you like, although keep in mind the opening times and tickets prices while organising your trip. The idea with walk is that you get a little closer to the history of the city. 

Images source: 77 – 85 (section 3); 55, 56 (section 2).