Square of the Colt in Cordoba, Spain
Square of the Colt
The Potro square is situated very close to the Guadalquivir riverside next to the
medieval sections of Saint Mary and Saint Nicholas of La Axerquia. Leaving from the Mosque-Cathedral we have to go down the Cardenal González Street till we reach the Saint Raphael Triumph.
The historian said that the name of the square was given for the inn that was there. Ramírez de las Casas Deza told that "colts and mules were sold there". However, the most logical and supported is that the source gave his name
to the square.
At the beginning the square was thought as a squared place and not opwen and rectangular how it is now. The first restoration was carried out to build theCharity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Hospital, now Fine Arts Museum and Julio Romero de Torres Museum. Then one of the sides was pulled down in order to reach the riverside more easily. There the Triumph of Saint Raphael, by Jean Michel Verdiguier, come from the Saint Hippolyte Square. Some think that this move was intended to simulate the closing of the square.
The fountain is the symbol of the square since Philip II period, and it was supported economically by Corregidor (Mayor) Garcí Suárez of Carvajal in order to improve the water upply of the
zone. It originally was located where now stands the monument to Saint Raphael, but was moved to the other end of the square towards 1847.
This fountain has an octagonal shape, and it has some stairs till the column, of one meter high. The pool is put on a half column. In the pool there is a pineapple with four little heads. These are the pipes from which the water goes out; the sound of the water is relaxing.
Significantly, both this fountain as the former of the Corredera Square, thrived in the water extracted from the Spring Water of Maimón
, situated on the outskirts of the city, ancient roman aqueduct in time of Emperor Augustus.
A tile put on the wall of the fine arts museum in 1917 tells us: "The prince genius of Spain, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, mentioned this place and section in the best novel of the world. Vary Cordovans with love for their country dedicate this humble souvenr to the unovercoming writer".
What is clear is that not only mentioned this square in his works: "El Quijote de la Mancha" or "Rinconete y Cortadillo", but he lived here. Besides his grangfather, Juan de Cervantes, his
greatgrandparents, Rodrigo and Catalina, were cordovans.
Miguel de cervantes was born in Alcalá de Henares in 1547, but when he was 4 he moved to Valladolid. His father, Rodrigo de Cervantes, doctor, passed through a strong economical crisis because of lack of payment, then he is sent to prison. When he goes out of prison, he moves to Córdoba with all his family. They set in Sillerías Street, today Romero Baros, where he works as surgeon in the Charity Hospital. Miguel de cervantes lives in Córdoba till the death of his grandfathers in 1557, however, the travels to Córdoba were constant, even when Lope de Rueda died.
medieval sections of Saint Mary and Saint Nicholas of La Axerquia. Leaving from the Mosque-Cathedral we have to go down the Cardenal González Street till we reach the Saint Raphael Triumph.
The historian said that the name of the square was given for the inn that was there. Ramírez de las Casas Deza told that "colts and mules were sold there". However, the most logical and supported is that the source gave his name
to the square.
At the beginning the square was thought as a squared place and not opwen and rectangular how it is now. The first restoration was carried out to build theCharity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Hospital, now Fine Arts Museum and Julio Romero de Torres Museum. Then one of the sides was pulled down in order to reach the riverside more easily. There the Triumph of Saint Raphael, by Jean Michel Verdiguier, come from the Saint Hippolyte Square. Some think that this move was intended to simulate the closing of the square.
The fountain is the symbol of the square since Philip II period, and it was supported economically by Corregidor (Mayor) Garcí Suárez of Carvajal in order to improve the water upply of the
zone. It originally was located where now stands the monument to Saint Raphael, but was moved to the other end of the square towards 1847.
This fountain has an octagonal shape, and it has some stairs till the column, of one meter high. The pool is put on a half column. In the pool there is a pineapple with four little heads. These are the pipes from which the water goes out; the sound of the water is relaxing.
Significantly, both this fountain as the former of the Corredera Square, thrived in the water extracted from the Spring Water of Maimón
, situated on the outskirts of the city, ancient roman aqueduct in time of Emperor Augustus.
A tile put on the wall of the fine arts museum in 1917 tells us: "The prince genius of Spain, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, mentioned this place and section in the best novel of the world. Vary Cordovans with love for their country dedicate this humble souvenr to the unovercoming writer".
What is clear is that not only mentioned this square in his works: "El Quijote de la Mancha" or "Rinconete y Cortadillo", but he lived here. Besides his grangfather, Juan de Cervantes, his
greatgrandparents, Rodrigo and Catalina, were cordovans.
Miguel de cervantes was born in Alcalá de Henares in 1547, but when he was 4 he moved to Valladolid. His father, Rodrigo de Cervantes, doctor, passed through a strong economical crisis because of lack of payment, then he is sent to prison. When he goes out of prison, he moves to Córdoba with all his family. They set in Sillerías Street, today Romero Baros, where he works as surgeon in the Charity Hospital. Miguel de cervantes lives in Córdoba till the death of his grandfathers in 1557, however, the travels to Córdoba were constant, even when Lope de Rueda died.
Text: J.A.S.C.
Traslated by Sara Moretti
Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba