History of the Cortijo at Arcos Gardens

This beautiful building has been known throughout history as "Cortijo Fain"

Cortijo Fain's history dates back to the Doña Ana María Trujillo Coronado & Torres age, who left this farm to the Santa Catalina Mártir School, which was founded in 1653, who in turn passed the ownership onto La Compañía de Jesús, whose Fathers had an antique artistic tile from the 17th Century placed on the right hand side of the chapel wall, as you enter into the patio, which is now in poor repair, in representation of their founder, San Ignacio de Loyola.

On the 15th June of 1781, the Spanish Estate sold this farm, as property of the Church, to Don José Tadeo Herrero, in the presence of the clerk Alonso Rodríguez Romero, on behalf of Duke & Duchess of Arcos, for the price of 480.000 Spanish Reales. In the past it has been owned by the Jesuit School Community.

It served as a military prison, taking some thousand Frenchmen refuge that were captured by the Spanish during the famous Battle of Bailén, evidence of which is still around today in the form of an old sentry box in one of the corners of the Cortijo. In the distant past, it was used as an olive mill, where they used to crush the olives collected from the groves which surrounded the Cortijo.

It is an impressive 17th Century farmhouse kept in a very traditional style, surrounded by a vast olive grove and eucalyptus trees, just 3 kilometres from the beautiful town of Arcos de la Frontera, which has been declared to be of National Heritage. In fact, Cortijo Fain, located on the famous Route of the "Pueblos Blancos" (White Villages), is a farmhouse full of legends.

The Cortijo consists of several buildings which have been added over the years around a central patio, which is now adorned by splendid bouganvilla.

On one side, there is an old stable, where the bar, reception and a fireplace can be found, on another side is the spacious kitchen, and finally on the third side, the main building, with a wide staircase, and several wrought iron bedsteads behind the beds.

Over the years it has become one of the most beautiful old farmhouses to have been converted into a hotel.

Cortijo Fain is built in traditional Andalusian style with whitewashed facades and wrought iron railings, and will now form the central design icons for the Arcos Gardens Golf Club & Country Estate.