Mora Claros's Palace

In 1912, thanks to the economic prosperity and the preponderance of the bourgeoisie in Huelva, a new palace started being built for wealthy Mr. Antonio Mora Claros and his family by local architect Moisés Serrano. This palatial house would be renovated in 1919 by José María Pérez Carasa, another local architect, to give it its present appearance.

We can appreciate several architectural styles in this building. The outer façade shows many windows and a turret with a mansard in the style of the Second French Empire at the right end ? the first blueprints of the building also included another similar turret at the left end. All the windows of the lower floor are framed by mouldings and have corbels with classical decoration on the top, which support the balconies of the upper floor. It is here where we can see three grilled balconies with classical-like, glass windows ? a decoration which would become very common in the architecture of Huelva. The entrance of the building is framed by a wide moulding with grotesque decoration. The façade is ended by a very prominent cornice.

Inside the building, we must point out several modernistic elements ? especially the iron banisters, decorated with copper flowers, together with some classical-like, stucco decoration, such as cherubim and corbels.

The glass windows occupying a great part of the main area of the house are decorated with plant motifs and landscapes. We must especially remark those alluding to the Discovery of America.

Besides, the lower and the central floors have glazed tiles with plant and animal motifs at their lowest part. The predominant colour of those tiles is indigo blue, as in the Muslim tradition in Andalusia.

A perron allows us access the upper floor, finely illuminated thanks to a glass dome.