The Cortijo
A cortijo or country estate is a type of large rural property typical of southern Spain, with both living quarters and other buildings for farming the surrounding area. The word comes from the Latin cohorticula, which in turn comes from cohors, meaning patio or corral.
The Casa-Cortijo El Madro ño is situated at the heart of an Andalusian olive grove and dates back to the 19th century. For most of its history, it has been dedicated to agriculture. Its buildings are farmhouses with special characteristics. They have been remodeled for a wide range of social events and they have an extremely privileged setting surrounded by olive trees and the Martos countryside.
The cortijo is a made up of a complex group of buildings with various patios that are interconnected by large and artistically decorated doors. Most of the patios have a fountain and a well, and some of them are covered with vines. The buildings also include an olive-oil mill, a barn, oil-presses and stables, in addition to places for storing machinery and farming implements.
All of the buildings are constructed in a similar style and the whole complex is surrounded by earthen and masonry walls that have been whitewashed with thick lime, which protects them and creates a feeling of continuous luminosity.
One enters the “cortijo” through a large door that is finished with a cross. Above the arch of the door there is a recess that holds the family coat of arms. Most of the walls are stone, although some are made of adobe that is half a meter thick. The roofs are built of wood and Moorish tiles.
