Casa de Pilatos is one of those places you fall in love with instantly. Its architecture is the perfect blend of Italian Renaissance, Mudejar (Spanish-Islamic) and Gothic styles. As soon as you enter the palace’s main courtyard, you’re captivated by its overwhelming gloriousness and it’s hard to leave!

 

Casa de Pilatos: a tour

 

The Courtyard

The courtyard is surrounded by a gallery formed by white marble columns with arches, beautifully carved using the yesería* technique. 24 busts of Spanish kings, Roman emperors and other important people are gracing the gallery’s walls. These walls are tiled with countless multicolored azulejos in a wide variation of shapes. The impressive wooden door that leads to the Praetor’s Room and the window shutters are decorated with carvings of flowers and stars. The windows are also decorated with columns and intricate stucco carved arches. As if that’s not enough, a gorgeous white fountain in Italian Renaissance style serves as the centerpiece of this dreamy courtyard. Four lifesize statues are placed in each corner of the main patio. Three are from ancient Rome and one is from ancient Greece. I could sit and stare at this place forever!

 

The Praetor’s Room

Several rooms and gardens surround the courtyard. The Praetor’s room dazzles you with all its Mudejar grandeur. The coffered ceiling of this room is amazing. It is carved with coats of arms of the family (Pedro Enríquez de Quiñones and Catalina de Ribera) who built this palace starting in 1483. The room leads to the small garden of the palace called Jardin Chico.

 

The Small Garden

The Jardin Chico actually isn’t small at all. Here you can find palm trees, a pond surrounded by flower pots, beautiful terracotta flooring decorated with azulejo tiles (yes, even here!) and cute fountains. I loved the relaxed vibe of this garden. It was as if I was far from everything else in the world. Which was strange, because the Casa de Pilatos is located in the center of Sevilla.

 

The Judges’ Rest Room

The Judges’ Rest Room (El Salón de descanso de los Jueces) is another beautifully decorated room that leads to the Chapel of Flagellation. I don’t know why there were giant golden balls placed at the tables, but it looked just right!

 

The Large Garden

Entering the Jardin Grande (large garden) is as if you were beamed to Italy. This garden is designed by Benavenuto Tortello who built Italian style loggias surrounding the garden. It looks totally different, but still blends perfectly with the rest of the palace. The loggias display many ancient statues.

 

The Staircase

The staircase of the Casa de Pilatos is called “Sevilla’s first and most magnificent staircase”. It’s totally made of marble and surrounded by thousands of azulejos. It leads to the upper floor of the palace. Even if you don’t have a ticket to visit the upper floors, you can still climb the stairs and admire the room it leads to.

 

Practicalities

Address: Plaza de Pilatos, 1, 41003 Sevilla, Spain
Opening hours: November to March: From 9am to 6pm / April to October: From 9am to 7pm.
Admission: Ground floor ticket: 8€ / Complete house ticket: 10 euros (guided tour)

* yesería: geometric and Islamic-influenced motifs carved in plaster