Palacio de los Marqueses de Peñaflor

The Palace of Peñaflor stands in the heart of the historic centre of Écija and is one of the most representative buildings of Écija's Baroque architecture. Its extensive façade occupies a large part of the former Calle de los Caballeros, now Calle Emilio Castelar, an important historic thoroughfare that connected the heart of the city with the Royal Road to Córdoba.

Its present appearance is the result of a long process of transformation closely linked to the development and consolidation of the Marquisate of Peñaflor. Its origins lie in the so-called Houses of Gallape, associated with the entailed estate established in 1499. From that initial nucleus, the family gradually acquired neighbouring houses and plots of land until they had created a large residence befitting the position attained by the marquisate and capable of projecting the prestige of its lineage throughout the city.

It was during the 18th century that the complex acquired much of its present appearance. At the beginning of the century, some of its most representative spaces were constructed, such as the façade, the main entrance, the entrance hall, the carriage courtyard, the stables and the lookout tower. Decades later, the main courtyard and the monumental staircase were renovated, and both the exterior and the interior rooms were embellished, giving the building the distinctive appearance that it still preserves today.

The façade brings together some of the palace's most characteristic elements and clearly reflects the desire of its owners to display their social standing to the outside world. The monumental entrance was conceived as a prestigious gateway, combining stone, marble and wrought iron in a composition of great ornamental richness. The entrance is framed by columns and crowned by the so-called balcony of appearances, from which the marquises could present themselves publicly. In the upper section, the family coat of arms and the attic with its tall, broken curvilinear pediment stand out.

Alongside the entrance extends the famous continuous balcony, which follows the gentle curvature of the façade. Its extraordinary length explains why the building is popularly known as the Palace of the Long Balconies. This feature made it possible to connect different rooms on the main floor and visually unify the exterior appearance of the building. The ensemble is completed by rich painted decoration in which illusionistic architecture, landscapes, allegorical figures and trompe-l'œil effects transform the walls into an elaborate Baroque stage setting.

At one end rises the tower, whose verticality interrupts the long horizontal extension of the balcony and marks the corner of the palace. The structure culminates in an open lookout from which much of Écija's urban skyline and the surrounding countryside can be admired.

The interior provides an understanding of the organisation and functioning of a large aristocratic residence. After passing through the entrance hall and the carriage courtyard, visitors reach the stables, a space that is striking for its spaciousness and architectural quality. Access is through an imposing entrance dominated by the family's coat of arms. The floor plan is organised into three aisles separated by stone columns and covered by a succession of groin vaults that give the ensemble a pronounced architectural rhythm. The cobblestone paving and feeding troughs recall its original function, although the quality of its design and finishes reveals the intention to express the prestige and social standing of the marquises even in the service areas.

The heart of the palace is the main courtyard, which has a quadrangular floor plan and is surrounded by galleries arranged on two levels that allowed communication between the different rooms. The ground floor is organised through semicircular arches supported by columns, while on the upper floor the rhythm becomes lighter through smaller arches. This superimposition creates a balanced composition and gives the courtyard a great sense of spatial clarity. At its centre stands the Baroque fountain, made of stone and featuring an elaborate design.

One of the most distinctive areas is the monumental staircase, whose design follows an unusual arrangement. It consists of two lateral flights that ascend from the lower level to converge on a landing, from which a single flight leads to the main floor. The stairwell is covered by a large dome and enriched with abundant plasterwork decoration extending across arches, mouldings, pendentives and windows. Its function was not limited to connecting the two floors of the residence: it also marked the transition into the aristocratic quarters and transformed the ascent into a carefully designed theatrical display of the power and identity of the marquisate.

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Dugo Cobacho, I. (2005). “Conservación y Perversión del PatrimonioInmueble Ecijano” en Actas de las II Jornadasde Protección y Conservación delPatrimonio Histórico de Écija:“Patrimonio Inmueble Urbano y Rural,su Epidermis y la Ley de Protección”. Écija. Págs. 183-217

Martín Ojeda, M. y Vlaseca Castillo, A. (2000). Écija y el marquesado de Peñaflor, de Cortes de Graena y de Quintana de las Torres. Ecxmo. Ayuntamiento de Écija.