Casa de Pilatos
The residence of the dukes of Medinaceli was the first of Sevilla’s private palaces to be opened to the public. It owes its grandeur to the first Marquis of Tarifa, who traveled through Italy on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1518 and returned to Sevilla buzzing with architectural ideas. It was claimed to be a reproduction of Pontius Pilate’s home in Jerusalem, but the strong Mudéjar and Renaissance influences suggest otherwise.
The palace features beautifully decorated azulejos (ceramic tiles) and wooden artesonado ceilings throughout. The grand staircase, with its magnificent golden cupola, is clearly modelled on the throne room at the Alcázar. You can visit the ground floor unaccompanied and the upper floor with a guide, where the art collection includes paintings by Sebastiano del Piombo, Pacheco, and Goya. The arcaded courtyards and lush gardens are a further treat. The palm trees, box hedges, and cascading bougainvillea are a striking symbol of opulence in Sevilla’s hot, dry climate.
The palace is about a 7-minute walk northeast of the cathedral on the northern edge of Barrio de Santa Cruz, in a warren of labyrinthine streets.
The residence of the dukes of Medinaceli was the first of Sevilla’s private palaces to be opened to the public. It owes its grandeur to the first Marquis of Tarifa, who traveled through Italy on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1518 and returned to Sevilla buzzing with architectural ideas. It was claimed to be a reproduction of Pontius Pilate’s home in Jerusalem, but the strong Mudéjar and Renaissance influences suggest otherwise.
The palace features beautifully decorated azulejos (ceramic tiles) and wooden artesonado ceilings throughout. The grand staircase, with its magnificent golden cupola, is clearly modelled on the throne room at the Alcázar. You can visit the ground floor unaccompanied and the upper floor with a guide, where the art collection includes paintings by Sebastiano del Piombo, Pacheco, and Goya. The arcaded courtyards and lush gardens are a further treat. The palm trees, box hedges, and cascading bougainvillea are a striking symbol of opulence in Sevilla’s hot, dry climate.
The palace is about a 7-minute walk northeast of the cathedral on the northern edge of Barrio de Santa Cruz, in a warren of labyrinthine streets.
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