CÓRDOBA

Córdoba, a unique and magical city to visit

Places to visit

Mosque of Cordoba

It is a mixture of superimposed architectural styles, which succeeded one another throughout the nine centuries that the constructions and reforms lasted.

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, located in the heart of the city's historic center, is one of the most beautiful examples of Muslim art in Spain.

Fue el emir musulmán Abderrahman I quien mandó construir el templo en el año 785 sobre los restos de la antigua iglesia visigoda de San Vicente. En siglos posteriores, la mezquita pasó por sucesivas ampliaciones. Abderrahman III mandó levantar un nuevo alminar, mientras que en el 961 Alhaken II ensanchó la planta del edificio y se decoró el mihrab. La última de las reformas sería llevada a cabo por Almanzor en el 987. Como resultado, la apariencia interior es la de un laberinto de columnas de gran belleza, con doble arquería y arco de herradura. En el año 1523, tras la conquista cristiana, se construyó en su interior la catedral, en la que destaca el retablo mayor, el retablo barroco y la sillería del coro en madera de caoba. El mihrab es uno de los más importantes del mundo musulmán, siendo la pieza más noble de la Mezquita-Catedral. La decoración es de mosaico bizantino y mármoles labrados. El Patio de los Naranjos es el acceso al recinto.

Places to visit

Roman Bridge

This bridge connects the city with the Calahorra Tower and is believed to have been built in the time of Augustus.

En el año 918 sufrió grandes reformas. Tuvo una gran importancia en las batallas que libró la ciudad contra los ejércitos de Pedro I el Cruel. Consta de 16 arcos apoyados en robustos estribos con tajamares semicilíndricos. La fábrica era de aparejo musulmán a soga y tizón. En el centro tiene una escultura de San Rafael de 1651.

Places to visit

Medina Azahara

Caliph Abd al-Rahman III was a great cultural promoter and a skilled politician who made his domains the most prosperous in the West of his time, comparable only to Baghdad and Byzantium.

Caliph Abd al-Rahman III was a great cultural patron and a skilled politician who made his domains the most prosperous in the West during his time, comparable only to Baghdad and Byzantium. Medina Azahara has an almost rectangular layout. It was built on stepped terraces that took advantage of the mountain's slope. Each terrace was separated from the others by walls that divided the city into three sections. The royal palace (Alcázar) is located on the upper and middle terraces, while the lowest area was reserved for dwellings and the mosque, built outside the walls. Remnants of plinths, paintings, and columns in the Composite and Corinthian styles are still preserved. A stroll through its two restored halls is a must. It was declared a National Monument in 1923.

To complete the visit, the archaeological site has an interpretation center that serves as the starting point for the tour. The building is underground, emulating an archaeological site, and houses a museum collection covering the most important periods of Medina Azahara's history. The visit to the interpretation center lasts about an hour, includes audiovisual projections and continues with the visit to the archaeological site (which is reached by bus from the same building).

Places to visit

Plaza de la Corredera

Rectangular in shape, it follows the Castilian-style main square model and is the only one of its kind in Andalusia.

Rectangular in shape, it follows the Castilian-style main square model and is the only one of its kind in Andalusia. During the reconstruction work, magnificent Roman-era mosaics were discovered, which can now be seen in the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs.

Places to visit

Alcázar of the Reyes Católicos

The Catholic Monarchs ruled in this palace-fortress for eight years.

This building was a Christian royal residence, later the seat of the Holy Office Tribunal, then a civil prison, and finally a military prison. It boasts magnificent gardens, such as the so-called Paseo de los Reyes (Walk of the Kings), where statues of all the kings associated with the Alcázar stand. It was declared a Historical Monument in 1931 and is part of the area declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Its gardens are protected by the 1986 General Urban Development Plan (PGOU). It stands on the remains of the former Caliphate Alcázar.

Places to visit

Calleja de las Flores

It is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter and from there you can see the cathedral tower.

Es una calleja sin salida frente a la fachada norte de la Mezquita, que acaba en una plaza desde la que se ve una magnífica vista de la torre de la catedral. Es una típica calle andaluza, con bellas casas encaladas de balcones llenos de flores.