by adminThe San Basilio 44 patio is probably one of the most repeated images of Córdoba’s Patios Festival: a whitewashed staircase climbing between flowerpots, in a communal house with centuries of history. But this place is much more than a pretty photo. It is home to the association founded to save the patios of Córdoba, and its story sums up a whole way of life.
What is the San Basilio 44 patio?
It stands in the San Basilio neighbourhood, also known as Alcázar Viejo, just steps from the gardens of the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs. If you don’t know the area yet, our guide to the San Basilio patios will help you get your bearings.
The first thing that may confuse you is the address: for a long time it was San Basilio 50, and it still appears that way in some older texts and photos. Today it is number 44. It is the same patio, also known as “the staircase patio”.
A communal house from the 15th and 16th centuries
Up to thirteen families around the courtyard
The house dates from between the 15th and 16th centuries. Like many others in Córdoba, it worked for generations as a communal house: sources mention twelve or thirteen families, usually one per room, who shared a bathroom, kitchen, washing area and well. The courtyard was no mere decoration but the centre of daily life: people washed, cooked, chatted and looked after the plants there.
To understand this model properly, we recommend reading what the patios of Córdoba are, which explains how these houses became heritage.
1974: the purchase that saved it
From the 1960s residents began to leave in search of more private homes, and this kind of house was in danger of disappearing. In 1974 the Association of Friends of the Córdoba Patios was created precisely to prevent that, and it bought the building to restore it. A hotel was considered, but the idea came to nothing.
The solution was different: keeping the house alive through craftsmanship. Artisans’ workshops moved into the ground floor, including leatherwork, ceramics and hand-painted fans, and local organisations such as the Cofradía del Salmorejo also rent space here.
What to see at the San Basilio 44 patio
It may be small, but it deserves an unhurried visit. These are the features not to miss.
The whitewashed staircase
This is its signature: straight, very steep, completely white and with a wooden handrail, centred on the front wall. It leads to the upper terrace and shapes the composition of almost every photo you will see of the place.
The well and the washing basins
On one side stands the well, whitewashed and surrounded by pots, with its pulley and bucket. One of the rooms still has the communal washing basins, a very direct reminder of how people lived here.
Galleries, entrance hall and cobbles
Three of the four sides have galleries with whitewashed stone pillars. The floor is the traditional enchinado of river pebbles, and the entrance hall connects the street with the patio in the manner of old houses. If these details interest you, we explain them in the features of the Córdoba patios.
The plants
Among the pots you will find roses, jasmine, night-blooming jessamine, rosemary, mint, thyme, basil and honeysuckle: a mix of ornamental and aromatic plants that also served a purpose in the house. Find out more about the typical flowers of the Córdoba patios.
San Basilio 44 and the patios contest
Its record is remarkable: first prize in 1956 and 1963, and several honour prizes during the 1960s. After its sale it stopped competing for decades, because the rules only admitted patios inhabited by families. That changed in 2014, when association patios open all year round were allowed to take part, and in 2015 it won the honour prize again. You can see how it all works in our article on the Córdoba patios contest.
Tips for your visit
- Come outside May for some calm: during the festival it is among the busiest patios, and queues are common.
- Check opening times before you go: we have not found a stable official timetable published, so it is best to confirm with the association.
- Respect the space: this is living heritage. Don’t touch the pots or climb the stairs unless it is allowed.
- Combine your visit: stroll around the neighbourhood and finish at the Alcázar or the Puerta de Sevilla, both very close.
Frequently asked questions about the San Basilio 44 patio
Where is the San Basilio 44 patio?
On Calle San Basilio in Córdoba, in the neighbourhood of the same name, also known as Alcázar Viejo, very close to the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs. It used to be listed as San Basilio 50, so some guides and photos still use that number. It is the same patio.
Can you visit the San Basilio 44 patio outside May?
Yes: since 2014 the contest rules have admitted association patios open all year round, and this one also houses artisans’ workshops. Even so, we have not found a stable official timetable published, so the safest option is to confirm opening with the association before you go.
Who runs the San Basilio 44 patio?
It is the headquarters of the Association of Friends of the Córdoba Patios, created in 1974 to protect these houses, which bought the building that same year. Today it combines conserving the patio with cultural activities and renting its rooms to artisans and local organisations.
Why is its staircase so famous?
Because it sums up the look of the Córdoba patio in a single image: whitewashed wall, wooden handrail and pots in every corner. It is straight and very steep, sits at the centre of the front wall and gives the place its popular name, which many people know simply as “the staircase patio”.
The San Basilio 44 patio is the best proof that Córdoba’s patios survive because someone looks after them. To discover it alongside other patios and hear their stories from a guide, join our guided tour of the Córdoba Patios.
