Tendillas Square in Cordoba, Spain
Tendillas Square
The Tendillas square is described as the heart of our city and it is a place to meet,
stroll, manifestations, celebrate events... in other words it is the mirror of our city.
In order to know the beginning of this square we have to background till the past century, being Mayor Don José Cruz Conde. When in 1924 it was decided to demolish the old Swiss Hotel, that Don Teodomiro Ramírez de Arellano said: "One of the better hotels of Spain".
After the pulling down of the hotel, called Swiss because it was built by the brothers Puzzini, two swiss
brothers, a vast plot was free to be reused to build new buildings. In this way in 1926 in the occidental part of the square Martin Fernandez House was built by Enrique Tienda Pesquero, and the Casana Dieguez House, by Félix Hernández Giménez. A year later approximately La Union y el Fenix Building (The Union and the Phoenix) and Telefónica Building (National Telephone Company) were built, in the north part of the square, by Benjamín Gutiérrez Prieto and Ramón Aníbal Álvarez respectively. In 1928 the south part was performed: the Counts of Colomera House, by Félix Hernández
Giménez and Enrique Barrios House by Aníbal González. Both houses are considered as one of the most imporant example of historicist architecture in our city. The square was closed on one side by Luis de Gongora Institute that existed prevously since 1847.
However the most characteristic of this square is not the buildings but the equestrian statue of Don Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, known as The Great Captain, by Mateo Inurria Lainosa, in 1920. At first it was situated in the Gran Capitán Avenue, then it was put in the Tendillas Square in 1927. Inurria, whom it
took several years to charge for their work, received the medal of honor at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1920. A legend told that the head of the Great Captain is Lagartijo's head. However this is not true because Mateo Inurria sculpted the bust of the cordovan bullfighter Rafael Molina Sánchez, El Lagartijo (The Lizard Men), and the Great Captain's Head does not fit in the last one.
Another artistical element is the clock, inaugurated in 1961, whose sound, soleares accords, were recorded by the
guitarrist Juanito Serrano. It is a custom, during the traditional New Year Eve to listen these sounds in the last twelve seconds of the year. Thousands of cordovan gather and you can watch this on tv.
In 1998 the square was renewed and as a consequence it was closed to the car traffic, only taxis and buses can pass along this square. Besides the ancient fountain pond under the statue was substituted by another fountain. This one is squared with a poll inside; the statue is on a podium on the fountain. On both sides there are sixteen little streams that emanate the water in a vertical way. A lot children play with these streams in summer.
stroll, manifestations, celebrate events... in other words it is the mirror of our city.
In order to know the beginning of this square we have to background till the past century, being Mayor Don José Cruz Conde. When in 1924 it was decided to demolish the old Swiss Hotel, that Don Teodomiro Ramírez de Arellano said: "One of the better hotels of Spain".
After the pulling down of the hotel, called Swiss because it was built by the brothers Puzzini, two swiss
brothers, a vast plot was free to be reused to build new buildings. In this way in 1926 in the occidental part of the square Martin Fernandez House was built by Enrique Tienda Pesquero, and the Casana Dieguez House, by Félix Hernández Giménez. A year later approximately La Union y el Fenix Building (The Union and the Phoenix) and Telefónica Building (National Telephone Company) were built, in the north part of the square, by Benjamín Gutiérrez Prieto and Ramón Aníbal Álvarez respectively. In 1928 the south part was performed: the Counts of Colomera House, by Félix Hernández
Giménez and Enrique Barrios House by Aníbal González. Both houses are considered as one of the most imporant example of historicist architecture in our city. The square was closed on one side by Luis de Gongora Institute that existed prevously since 1847.
However the most characteristic of this square is not the buildings but the equestrian statue of Don Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, known as The Great Captain, by Mateo Inurria Lainosa, in 1920. At first it was situated in the Gran Capitán Avenue, then it was put in the Tendillas Square in 1927. Inurria, whom it
took several years to charge for their work, received the medal of honor at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1920. A legend told that the head of the Great Captain is Lagartijo's head. However this is not true because Mateo Inurria sculpted the bust of the cordovan bullfighter Rafael Molina Sánchez, El Lagartijo (The Lizard Men), and the Great Captain's Head does not fit in the last one.
Another artistical element is the clock, inaugurated in 1961, whose sound, soleares accords, were recorded by the
guitarrist Juanito Serrano. It is a custom, during the traditional New Year Eve to listen these sounds in the last twelve seconds of the year. Thousands of cordovan gather and you can watch this on tv.
In 1998 the square was renewed and as a consequence it was closed to the car traffic, only taxis and buses can pass along this square. Besides the ancient fountain pond under the statue was substituted by another fountain. This one is squared with a poll inside; the statue is on a podium on the fountain. On both sides there are sixteen little streams that emanate the water in a vertical way. A lot children play with these streams in summer.
Text: J.A.S.C.
Traslated by Sara Moretti
Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba