Casa Palacio de los Mora

The Casa Palacio de los Mora, in Cadix

The Casa Palacio de los Mora is one of the most refined palaces of Cadix, a sumptuous dwelling of the nineteenth century erected on the prestigious Calle Ancha. The Cadix audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this showcase of the Gaditan bourgeoisie enriched by the trade of wine and the Atlantic, with its façade of Carrara marble supported by spectacular atlantes.

The showcase of the Gaditan bourgeoisie

The Casa Palacio de los Mora is one of the most refined palaces of Cadix. You are here in the heart of the Calle Ancha, the former prestigious avenue of the Gaditan bourgeoisie of the nineteenth century. It is there that the great families of traders and shipowners, enriched by the trade of wine and the transatlantic exchanges, displayed their success through sumptuous façades. The palace you have before your eyes was built between 1860 and 1862 for Manuel Moreno de Mora, a rich businessman linked to the wine trade in El Puerto de Santa María. He did not, however, have the time to see his work completed: it is his widow, Rosario Vitón, who inaugurated the house with a great gala ball, in the presence of Queen Isabella II and her husband. From the start, this palace was thus conceived as a true showcase of prestige. Observe its monumental façade: it is entirely decorated with Carrara marble, imported from Italy at great expense. In the centre, the great round-arched portal opens under a spectacular balcony supported by atlantes, these sculpted male figures that seem to carry the weight of the stone on their shoulders. Inside, marble staircases, patios and richly decorated salons prolong this refinement, testifying to the splendour of the commercial golden age of the town. A marble palace and a symbol of prestige, the Casa Palacio de los Mora is a fine stop of the discovery of Cadix.

What to see

Here you admire one of the most refined palaces of Cadix, on the prestigious Calle Ancha, built between 1860 and 1862 for the rich wine trader Manuel Moreno de Mora and inaugurated by his widow in the presence of Queen Isabella II; its monumental façade is entirely of Carrara marble, with a balcony supported by atlantes. The Casa Palacio de los Mora is a showcase of the Gaditan bourgeoisie. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Casa Palacio de los Mora lies on the Calle Ancha, in the heart of the historic centre of Cadix, reachable on foot. You admire above all its marble façade from the street; any interior visits follow the conditions in force, which vary. It is best to enquire before coming. You discover it during a walk in the centre.

For whom was the Casa Palacio de los Mora of Cadix built?

For Manuel Moreno de Mora, a rich businessman linked to the wine trade, between 1860 and 1862; dead before the completion, it is his widow Rosario Vitón who inaugurated the palace with a great ball in the presence of Queen Isabella II. On the prestigious Calle Ancha, it displays a façade of Carrara marble supported by atlantes, a showcase of the Gaditan bourgeoisie.

Where is the Casa Palacio de los Mora in Cadix?

On the Calle Ancha, in the heart of the historic centre of Cadix, in Spain.