Palacio de los Córdova

Palacio de los Córdova is a historic palace in Granada, tucked into the narrow streets of the Albaicín neighborhood, right below the hillside that overlooks the Alhambra. Today it houses the city's Historical Archive, but its backstory is far more winding than that quiet administrative role suggests.

Where does the building — and its name — come from?

The original palace was built in the 16th century, between 1530 and 1592, in a completely different part of the city, on the Placeta de las Descalzas. It rose on the site of an earlier Arab-era palace, commissioned by Álvaro de Bazán, a Spanish admiral and one of the more prominent figures of 16th-century Spain. The property later changed hands and was acquired by Luis Fernández de Córdova, whose family name the palace has carried ever since.

Over the following centuries the building passed through various owners and uses — serving at times as a company headquarters and a timber warehouse. In 1919, a new owner, Ricardo Martín Flores, had the original structure demolished to build the Teatro Gran Capitán on the site. Fortunately, the most valuable architectural elements — portals, columns, and carved stonework — were not discarded but dismantled and kept at the Villa María estate, on the road to Pulianas.

How did it end up on Cuesta del Chapiz?

Those salvaged fragments waited decades for a second life. Only in the 1960s, based on plans drawn up by art historian Manuel Gómez Moreno, did architect Álvarez de Toledo design a reconstruction of the palace at a new location: Cuesta del Chapiz, right in the heart of the Albaicín. The foundation stone for the rebuild was laid in 1965. The result is a building that combines the original 16th-century stonework with new construction recreating the feel of a Renaissance-era residence.

What can you see today?

In 1983, the City Council of Granada (Ayuntamiento de Granada) purchased the palace with the intention of turning it into an archive. The following year, in August 1984, the Archivo Histórico Municipal de Granada opened its doors — an institution that preserves documents and records tracing the city's history. The building is listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural, Spain's equivalent of a nationally protected heritage site.

Visitors touring the palace should look out for its Renaissance courtyard with arcades, the stone portals relocated from the original building, and the setting itself: Cuesta del Chapiz is one of the most characteristic streets of the Albaicín, leading toward Sacromonte and several of the best viewpoints over the Alhambra.

How do you get there?

Palacio de los Córdova sits in the Albaicín, a neighborhood listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Alhambra. The easiest way to reach it is on foot from central Granada — a walk from the cathedral or Plaza Nueva takes around fifteen minutes, though expect a steady climb up narrow, cobbled streets. An alternative is the city's minibus routes that serve the steep Albaicín and Sacromonte neighborhoods, with stops near Cuesta del Chapiz.

When should you visit?

Since the building now functions as a municipal archive, access to the interior can be limited to office hours and specific occasions such as exhibitions or open days — the venue is also occasionally used for weddings and events organized by the city. It's worth checking current opening times before planning a visit. The surrounding Albaicín is at its best early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sun lights up the Alhambra hill across the valley and the heat isn't a factor on the uphill walk.

Frequently asked questions

Is Palacio de los Córdova an original 16th-century building? Only partly. The original palace was built elsewhere in Granada between 1530 and 1592, but it was demolished in 1919. What stands today on Cuesta del Chapiz is a 1960s reconstruction that reuses surviving stonework from the original structure.

Where does the palace's name come from? From the Fernández de Córdova family, who acquired the building from its original owner, Álvaro de Bazán.

What is housed in the palace today? The Archivo Histórico Municipal de Granada, the city's historical archive, open to the public since 1984.

Can tourists visit the palace? Access can be limited given the building's administrative role, so it's worth checking current visiting rules beforehand — the courtyard and facade are visible from outside, though, and make for one of the more interesting stops on an Albaicín walking route.