Álvaro Vega I Palma del Río (Córdoba), (EFE).- The restoration works of the main Almohad tower of the Portocarrero Palace, in Palma del Río (Córdoba), have revealed that the Plateresque balcony made in the 16th century Hernán Ruiz ‘El Mozo’, one of the jewels of the Andalusian Renaissance, was completely polychrome, mainly in red almagra.
The appearance of remains in different places on the balcony, which falls on the Plaza Mayor de Andalucía, in front of the Palma del Río City Hall and located in the Puerta del Sol that leads to the alhomade walled enclosure, built in the 12th century, has allowed us to specify that the dominant color was red almagra. But there is also polychromy in orange and ocher.
This has been pointed out to EFE by the architect who wrote the project and director of the work, César Egea. And the restorer of the performance, Virginia Cabrera. That they chose, together with the property of the enclosure, to fix the polychrome that appeared by whitewashing the stone of the balcony. A process that is carried out through a preparation of marble dust and water that generates a protective film. That allows perspiration to the outside and that, over time, will make it easier for colors to emerge in other areas.
An important milestone in recovery
For Enrique Moreno de la Cova, owner of the Palacio Portocarrero, the recovery of the Plateresque balcony and the tower represents “an important milestone” in the recovery process of the Palma fortress that began with his wife, Cristina Ybarra, in 1988.
“It is one of the key milestones of the restoration. Although we still have a long way to go”, he told EFE after the presentation of the performance. That has come at the expense of the Moreno de la Cova family foundation. Like the rest of the rehabilitation of the Renaissance palace that stands on the 12th century Almohad military fortress. Although it was not until 1505 by decision of Luis Portocarrero, first count of Palma, title today in the House of Alba, when it acquired its monumental character.
The directing architect of the work has recognized that there were elements of the balcony that were “on the verge of collapsing”. With breaks in the stones and with 80 percent of the moldings lost. So the restoration work is very important in the recovery process.
Discovered an upper room
Together with the discovery of the polychromy, the action has also revealed the existence of a room above the level of the balcony whose use is unknown, with a height of at least three 87-centimetre walls and with a covered access staircase.
This room, contemporary to the construction of the balcony, fell into ruin between the 19th and 20th centuries and was removed. While now the mud walls have been recovered but it has been left without a roof. Giving outlet for rainwater to the square and not to the side area, as originally planned. After having found remains of gargoyles towards that part.
The room that gives access to the balcony is known as the historical bedroom of ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’. Since it houses the bed used in this film directed by Ridley Scott, of which the British director filmed some scenes in February 2004 at Palacio Portocarrero. Although during filming it was not in this room where the bed was, with dimensions adapted to cinematographic needs, 1.40 by 2.13 meters.
Cristina Ybarra, who manages the Palacio Portocarrero, open to visits and celebrations, told EFE that the restoration process has been “complicated because various difficulties have been encountered.” Although “they have all been saved with a lot of professionalism”, in a particularly sensitive area of the enclosure as it is “a very symbolic part of the fortress”.
The only monumental area outside
In fact, it is the only monumental area that directly faces the street. And whose historical justification is in the opening of the palace towards the outside, to preside over the main square of Palma del Río and project the pre-eminence of the owner, during the construction of the VIII lord of Palma and later first count. Place from where he witnessed public celebrations at a time when it was no longer necessary to use the walls as a defensive element.
The territorial delegate for Tourism, Culture and Sports of the Junta de Andalucía in Córdoba, Eduardo Lucena, after praising the initiative of the property to undertake the action with its own resources, has justified the impossibility of allocating public resources to this type of action, although has opened the possibility of promoting them through cultural projects.
In the opinion of the mayoress of Palma del Río, Matilde Esteo (PP), the municipality “recovers one of the jewels of its heritage”, framed in “a unique set in Andalusia”, as, in her opinion, is the Palacio Portocarrero, an enclosure about which he has said that “a ruin has been transformed and become what it is today” thanks to the Moreno de la Cova family foundation. EFE