The Cordovan hat (in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

, ''sombrero cordobés'') is a traditional hat made in the city of

Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, 2nd largest city in the country and capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cordoba may ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

and traditionally worn in a large part of

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The ...

.Definition of ''Sombrero cordobés''
Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia Española (DRAE) In the

-speaking world outside of Andalusia, the term can simply mean "wide-brimmed hat".

Characteristics

Although the ''sombrero cordobés'' has no standard sizes, the height of the crown can vary from , and the width of the brim can vary from . Although the most traditional color is black, other common colors include red, pearl gray, sea green and, navy blue.

History

The origin of the style is unclear. Drawings as early as the 17th century show day laborers wearing this sort of hat. The style became more widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the people who have worn the ''sombrero cordobés'' are

flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura an ...

vocalist

Juanito Valderrama Juan Valderrama Blanca (24 May 1916 – 12 April 2004), better known as Juanito Valderrama, was a Spanish flamenco and folk singer. Although he was known for singing copla, he always claimed to be a flamenco singer. Born in Torredelcampo, Juan ...

, the

rejoneador Rejoneador (, pl. ''rejoneadores''; "lancer") is the name given to a bullfighter who fights the bull on horseback. The ''rejoneo'' is a form of bullfighting in Portugal and in Spanish bullfighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that i ...

Antonio Cañero Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...

—so identified with the style that the hat is sometimes called a ''cañero''—and the

matador A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...

Manolete Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez (4 July 1917 – 29 August 1947), known as Manolete, was a Spanish bullfighter. Career Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez was the son of a bullfighter (who also went by the name Manolete) and his wife An ...

. It can also be seen in the paintings of

Julio Romero de Torres Julio Romero de Torres (9 November 1874 – 10 May 1930) was a Spanish painter. His brothers, Rafael and , also became painters. Biography He was the son of Rafael Romero Barros, a painter who served as Director of the Fine Arts Museum o ...

. The Beatles, on their visit to Spain, wore it as a symbol of the country. Former football player

Finidi George George Finidi (born 15 April 1971), known as Finidi George, is a Nigerian professional football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of Nigeria Professional Football League club Enyimba F.C. As a player, he played as a right ...

Real Betis Real Betis Balompié, known as Real Betis () or just Betis, is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1907, it plays in La Liga. It holds home games at the Estadio Benito Vi ...

always wore it when celebrating after scoring during his time there. The fictional characters

Zorro Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilant ...

and Black Hat (from ''

Priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

'' (2011)) are often depicted wearing this style of hat.

Notes

External links

* Miguel García Capilla
El Sombrero Cordobés
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sombrero cordobes Hats Andalusian culture Spanish clothing Córdoba, Spain