Cordoba:

Cordoba is a city with an enormous heritage of culture and monuments. Due partly to Its strategic position on the River Guadalquivir and partly to the wealth of remains left by the different peoples who inhabited the city, Cordoba has become a privileged city in the very heart of the history of the Western World: its vast Caliphal (Arabic) civilization, during the Middle Ages, was the most brilliant in the Europe of its day and forged lasting links between East and West.
For tourists, it is one of the most frequently visited of all Spanish cities, mainly because of its enormous historical interest and artistic heritage. Such influential figures in Roman civilization as the philosopher Seneca or the poet Lucan were born here, and in the 10th century Caliphal (Arabic) Cordoba became the most refined and advanced civilization in Europe where scholars, poets, doctors, philosophers and mystics lived, some of whom achieved world-wide fame, such as the philosopher Averroes or the Jewish doctor Maimonides. The heritage dating from after the Christian conquest is equally impressive: churches, convents, hospitals, palaces and numerous stately homes surround the marvellous, unique building that is the Mosque-Cathedral and make Cordoba one of the greatest monumental cities in Europe. In 1994, the UNESCO recognised the universal importance of the historic buildings in Cordoba, by extending the limits of the World Heritage Site beyond the Mosque itself to include the whole of the historic quarter.

La Mezquita:
The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is arguably the most significant monument in the whole of the western Moslem World and one of the most amazing buildings in the world in its own right. The complete evolution of the Omeyan style in Spain can be seen in its different sections, as well as the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles of the Christian part. (More info...)

Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos:
The Alcázar (castle) of Cordoba, with its thick defensive walls, served both as a fortress and a palace, and is a perfect illustration of the development of Cordoban architecture through the ages. Roman and Visigoth ruins lie side by side with Arabic remains in this magnificent building, which was once the favourite residence of the different rulers of the city. However, when Cordoba was taken by Fernando III «the Saint» in 1236, the former Caliphal Palace was in a pitiful, ruinous state. Alfonso X «the Wise» began the restoration work, which was finished off during the reign of Alfonso XI. It has fulfilled many different functions over the years, such as Headquarters of the Inquisition, or a prison (first half of the 20th century).

Medina Azahara:
The history of Medinat al-Zahara, the magnificent, enigmatic city palace which was built for Abd-al Rahman III at the foot of the Sierra Morena mountains five miles from the city, is shrouded in myths and legends. According to popular belief, Abd al-Rahman III, after proclaiming himself Caliph in 929 A.D., after eight years in power, decide to build the city-palace in honour of his favourite, Azahara. However, recent research strongly suggests that the real reason for the Caliph founding Medina Azahara was to promote the new image of the recently-created independent western Caliphate as a one of the strongest, most powerful kingdoms in Medieval Europe.

Murallas y Puertas de Almodovar:
Calle Cairuán, close to the Castle of the Christian Monarchs, leads us to the Almodóvar Gate, which is mainly of Christian construction and dates from the 14th century. In Moslem times, it was known as Bad al-Yawz, and it is the only surviving gateway into the city of the nine built by Abd al-Rahman I. The restoration work in 1802 preserved the battlements and the walkway in their original form. Just in front there is a statue of the Cordoban philosopher-playwright Seneca. Running along the calle Cairuán, next to a cascading series of ponds and water channels bearing crystal-clear water, lies a stretch of the city walls which surrounded the Medina. Built on top of the previous Roman walls, what we see today owes much to the restoration work carried out in the 20th century. The unusual street name is because the city of Cordoba is twinned with the Tunisian city of Quairuan, whose main mosque has similar features to the one in Cordoba.

Roman bridge:
The view over the Mosque-Cathedral, with the river, the Gate of the Bridge and the Roman Bridge itself, is one of the most wonderful sights of Cordoba, especially at disk, when the last rays of the sun linger on and make the stone surfaces glow a deep golden red. The bridge was first built in the 1st century A.D., but has been rebuilt many times since then, and in its present form dates mainly from the Medieval period, with the latest changes being made in 1876. There are sixteen arches, four of which are pointed and the rest semi-circular. Halfway along the railing on one side is a 16th century statue of San Rafael by Bernabé Gómez del Río.

The Bridge Gateway:
This gate originally formed part of the city walls, but from the Christian conquest onwards it became a gateway, known then as the Algeciras Gate, where the road leading south out of Cordoba started from. In the 14th Century, Hernán Ruiz III redesigned the gate to mark the visit of Philip II to the city, and gave it the grand, monumental style which survives to this day. It is made up of three sections, with fluted columns at each end, and the centre opening topped with a lintel and a curved pediment. At the turn of the 20th century, the surrounding buildings were cleared away and the ground was lowered to restore it to its original height .

Roman temple:
Next to the Town Hall of Cordoba stands the only Roman temple in Cordoba for which we have archaeological evidence. The sheer size of the building is remarkable: it was dedicated to the cult of the Emperor, and along with the Circus Maximus, formed part of the Provincial Forum. It originally stood on a raised podium and had six free-standing Corinthian columns in the entrance. In front of this was the ara or altar. The present reconstruction was carried out by the architect Félix Hernández, and has left Cordoba yet another reminder of the splendour of the city in Roman times. Some of the original pieces from the museum are on display in the Archaeological Museum or in unusual but attractive places dotted around the city, like the fluted column lying in Plaza de la Doblas.

Calleja de las Flores (Alley of the Flowers):
In the Heart of the Jewish Quarter, not far from the Mosque-Cathedral, we find this charming little street, which everyone who visits Cordoba comes to see. The narrow alleyway leads up a gentle slope to open out onto a small square. Flowers fill the balconies, with their wrought-iron window grilles, filling the air with pleasant scent, to the delight of visitors. A fountain graces one side of the square, and there is a fine view of the bell-tower of the Cathedral.

Plaza de la Corredera:
The space where this square now stands was once the main entrance to the Roman amphitheatre. Archaeological excavations have unearthed a series of wonderful mosaics from this period, which are now on show in the Castle of the Christian Monarchs. The present-day square is rectangular with arched porticos running around the ground floor, designed in the style of the old city squares of Castille, of which it is the only one of its kind in Andalusia. It was used in olden days as a bullring, and to this day there is a street named Toril (Bulls' enclosure). The square has seen everything, from autos de fe and public addresses to public executions during the French Invasion, and now contains a number of cafes and bars, as well as hosting a Medieval Market in the month of January.

Patios de Cordoba:
Córdoba has a hot, dry climate and the city's inhabitants, first the Romans and later the Moslems, adapted the design of their houses to their needs, with the rooms all arranged around a central courtyard (Spanish: patio), which normally had a fountain in the middle and often a well which collected rainwater. The Moslems adapted this plan further by having an entrance from the street via a hallway and adding a large number of plants to try and create a fresh, cool atmosphere.