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ANDALUSIAN PATIO HOUSES
Simplicity and care in the popular patios of Córdoba
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In the grander homes, the patio was surrounded by colum-
ns, with galleries of carved wood, ornamental fountains,
glazed ceramics, or gleaming marble floors. In humbler
houses, a packed-earth floor sufficed, a few flowerpots
hung with blacksmith’s nails, and a washbasin at the
back. In both cases, the patio was a space for shared life,
a necessary respite, and a daily meeting point, away from
the noise and rush of the outside world.
The reinterpreted legacy
Today, the patio house model is being reappraised as a
symbol of sustainability, climatic intelligence, and time-
less beauty. Contemporary architects such as Cruz y Or-
tiz, Fuensanta Nieto, or Alberto Campo Baeza have revi-
ved its essence in modern homes: central patios without
artifice, with overhead light, structural silence, and res-
trained greenery that recalls the serenity of earlier times.
It’s not about copying the past, but about drawing from it
with respect and intelligence, reinterpreting its lessons for
the present.
Rural tourism, too, has rediscovered this genuine formu-
la. Many accommodations in historic towns such as Prie-
go de Córdoba, Carmona, Osuna, or Ronda restore old
houses while preserving their patios as the true soul of
the project. There, the guest doesn’t just sleep—they ex-
perience a different rhythm, enjoy the calm, and connect
with a way of living deeply rooted in both land and time.
Lebrija Palace’s patio in Seville