A view of visitors in the Vélez Blanco Patio. Photographs courtesy of the author
«Although you may see your fellow museumgoers heading straight up the steps of the Great Hall after getting their admission stickers, I suggest that you begin by heading into the patio from the castle of Vélez Blanco, 1506–15. Inspired by ancient Rome, the richly decorated courtyard was created over five hundred years ago by Italian stonecutters working in Spain. The patio is impressive even from a distance, but I recommend taking a closer look like I did.»
It is the attention to detail that makes this room the perfect starting point for your visit to the Met. The room forces you to look around; not only because it gives you the wonderful feeling of having just stepped into a time machine, but also simply because there is so much to see. I think there is more value in looking closely at the embellishments than just experiencing the patio's first impression of grandeur.
A view of the second floor of the Vélez Blanco Patio
When I made my way up to the second floor of the patio, I was immediately struck by the view from above. It's most definitely something to put on your to-do list. As I was looking around, I saw something I hadn't noticed before: just below the ornamental molding of the second story, a Latin inscription surrounds the room that reads, "Petrus fagiardus: marchio de veliz primus: ac regni murcie quintus prefectus sue prosapie hanc arcem in arce tituli erexit: ceptum opus ano ab ortu cristi millessimo quingentessimo sexto perfectum anno quintodecimo supra milessium ac quingentessimo."
From afar, this inscription seems like a design repeated over and over above the second story columns. It is actually a piece of history that, when translated, informs the viewer that the castle was commissioned by Don Pedro Fajardo, "first Marqués of Vélez and fifth governor of the Kingdom of Murcia of his lineage," and completed in 1515.
It was this first discovery that made me realize taking a closer look could give me more insight into the patio and sent me on a search for more. I found carvings of birds and dragons; blue, green, and yellow Andalusian azulejos, or colorfully patterned tiles, covering the ceiling of the upper galleries; and gargoyles overlooking the room.
The Vélez Blanco Patio is the perfect way to start off your day at the Met. Its uniqueness will draw you in and persuade you to look at the details, a skill that is helpful when looking at any artwork. Then, when you venture off into the rest of the Museum, you'll be able to use your observation skills to catch the other details you might ordinarily miss.