Saturday, May 17, 2025

Contrary To Popular Legend, Seville's Casa de Pilatos Did Not Belong To The Inventor Of Pilates

Our first stop on our first full day in Seville is the Casa de Pilatos, which Carol reminded me we visited in 2001.  I didn't remember doing so until we were walking through it.

It's an absolutely stunning place.  Rick Steves calls it "a scaled-down version of the Royal Alcazar" because of its similar mix of Moorish, Gothic, and Renaissance styles.  Apparently the nobleman who built it was inspired a visit to the Holy Land, where he saw the supposed mansion of Pontius Pilate.  

(Editor: Is that true?  Writer: I don't know, so I'm washing my hands of the whole question.  Editor: That's cringey comment.)

We skipped the upper floor tour and just did the ground floor and garden, both of which are jaw-droppingly beautiful.  Between the flowers and the tiles, it was well worth the visit.  

Rick Steves rates place to see on a one to three star level (three being the best, and also rarely given out by him) and also places that get no stars but he considers worth visiting.  

I would definitely give Casa de Pilatos one star, even though I haven't gotten rich off guidebooks and tours like Rick Steves.

(Editor: Why use his full name, why don't you just call him "Steves."  Oh, never mind, I see the problem.) 

As an aside, Pilates was invented by a German named Joseph Hubertus Pilates while being held in a British POW camp during World War I.  The explanation he was forced to invent it as a way to eat less British food has not yet been proven true.  And it has not yet been proven false, either.  (To my British friends/readers, I'm kidding!  We kid because we love!)

No comments: