Palacio de la Merced facts for kids
The Palacio de la Merced is a beautiful and historic building located in Córdoba, Andalusia, a city in southern Spain. It was once a convent, which is a home for a group of religious people. Today, it serves as the main office for the Provincial Government of Córdoba. This government body helps manage services for the entire province of Córdoba.
History of the Palace
The area where the Palacio de la Merced stands has a very long history. When people dug into the ground here, they found large, carved stones called ashlars from ancient Roman times. This shows that important Roman buildings might have been here long ago.
Later discoveries include parts of a baptistery (a place where people are baptized) and a crypt (an underground room, often used for burials). Some experts believe these findings are from an early Christian or Visigothic church called St. Eulalia. They think this church might have been built during the time of King Reccared I.
From Convent to Government Building
The story of the palace as we know it today often begins with Peter Nolasco. King Ferdinand III of Castile gave him the old St. Eulalia church after he conquered Córdoba in the early 1200s. However, there isn't much left of the convent from that 13th century period.
The building you see now was mostly constructed in the 1700s. The church part of the palace was built between 1716 and 1745. It has a Latin cross shape, which means it looks like a cross from above. Inside, it has a main area called a nave, two side areas called aisles, and a transept (the part that crosses the nave). The cloister, which is a peaceful open area surrounded by covered walkways, was finished in 1752. It has a rectangular shape with rounded arches.
Over the years, the palace has been used for different purposes. Around 1850, it was changed into a hospital. Then, in 1960, it became the home of the Provincial Government, which it still is today. Sadly, in 1978, a fire damaged the church, destroying the main altar and some other valuable artworks.
