Converso Houses in the 16th Century in the Former Jewish Quarter of Seville

Abstract

Vital scenarios in the old Jewish quarter of Seville (Spain) in the 16th Century are analyzed. The objectives of this paper are first, to gather up a brief history of the property of some houses of Conversos (Jews who converted to Christianity in the face of the Inquisition); secondly, to study their layout and their construction relating them to emotions in architecture in a transversal way; thirdly, to make hypothetical plans and elevations (including some digital reconstructions); and, finally, to report their current state of preservation. For these purposes, documents have been consulted in Sevillian archives. To analyze these buildings, it was essential to consult the little-known texts called apeos, which were official documents drawn up by the master builders (alarifes) that the owners requested in order to know the conservation of the buildings. An innovative methodology of translating written descriptions into graphics has been developed. Likewise, among the characteristic spaces of the Sevillian houses, more singular ones, such as the reception courtyards, the main rooms, and the women’s quarters, have been thoroughly analyzed. The alteration of the entrance of one of the houses due to the historical and emotional context and the importance of the women’s quarters (as a religious and vital refuge) are also highlighted.

Mujeres en la casa sevillana (siglo XVI): análisis del mercado inmobiliario y estudio arquitectónico

“…Núñez-González (2021) ha desarrollado un extenso trabajo sobre la ciudad de Sevilla y sus construcciones en el mismo siglo a partir de la documentación desarrollada por maestros alarifes de inmuebles de propiedad eclesiástica, cuyos resultados incluyen dibujos y estudios específicos de algunas construcciones. Por último, en su artículo, Moya-Olmedo et al (2022), conjuntamente con esta autora, han estudiado la división de espacios según el género en el caso concreto de las viviendas judeoconversas, también de Sevilla en el XVI. compleja.…”