| CORDOBA
MONUMENTS
Medina
Azahara
The
palace city.
It was built at
the wish of the caliph Abd-al Rahman III
using the money his favourite, Al-Zahra,
left him.
It was designed to be the capital of
a new province of the Caliphate of
Cordoba, but finally the sackings of the
city/palace led it to be remembered as
Córdoba la Vieja (Old Cordoba). The
caliph Abd-al-Rahman III was a great
supporter of culture and a skilful
politician who made his dominions the
most prosperous in the West during his
times, only comparable with Baghdad and
Byzantium. The floor plan of Medina Al-Zahara
is almost rectangular. It was built on
stepped terraces which took advantage of
the slope of the mountain. Each terrace
was separated from the others using
walls that divided the city into three
parts. In the high part were the palaces,
in the middle sector the dominant
landscape was fruit and vegetable plots
and gardens and in the lower part was
the main mosque and the houses. There
are still remains of foundations,
paintings and columns in Composite and
Corinthian style. Walking through 2
recently restored rooms is a visit not
to be missed. It was declared a National
Monument in 1923. PRICES: Free entry for
EU citizens. Others: €1.5. Postal
address: Delegación Provincial de
Cultura. Avda. Gran Vía Parque, 26.
14071- Córdoba. Group visits arranged by
post or by telephoning the
archaeological site.
more information in
VIAJES Y RUTAS
Mosque
The Cathedral
Mosque.
Cordoba's
Mosque has a mixture of different
architectural styles, that have occurred
over the past nine centuries.
The mosque lies in the historic heart
of the city, and is one of the most
beautiful examples of Muslim art in the
whole of Spain. The Moslem emir
Abderrahman I ordered construction of
the temple in the year 785 on the ruins
of the old Visigoth church of St.
Vincent. During the centuries that
followed the Mosque underwent several
changes. Abderrahman III ordered a new
minaret, while Alhaken II, in 961,
enlarged the plan of the building and
the mihrab was decorated. The last of
the reforms was carried out by Almanzor
in 987. As a result of all the work, the
interior of the building is a myriad of
row upon row of beautiful columns and
horseshoe arches. In 1523, following the
Christian conquest, the cathedral was
built inside. Of note here are the main
reredos, the Baroque reredos and the
mahogany choir stalls. The mihrab is one
of the most notable in the whole of the
Muslim world, and is the most noble part
of the mosque. The interior decoration
is full of Byzantine mosaics and marble.
The Naranjos courtyard serves as an
entry point.
more information in
VIAJES Y RUTAS
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
Residence of Isabel and Fernando.
The Catholic
Monarchs reigned from this palace-fortress
for eight years. Princess María and
Prince Juan were also born here
This
building was constructed as the
residence of the Cordovan caliph and
thereafter became the royal residence of
the Tribunal del Santo Oficio, later a
civil prison, and lastly a military
prison. Surrounded by magnificent
gardens called the Paseo de los Reyes
where there are statues of all the kings
linked to the palace-fortress. It was
declared a Historical Monument in 1931.
The building is also integrated into the
area that was declared a World Heritage
site by UNESCO in 1994. Since 1986, its
gardens have been protected by P.G.O.U.
Entrance fee: 1.87 E., students 0.94 E.
Free on Friday and for pensioners.
Torre de la Calahorra (Calahorra
tower)
The
defence of the honour of the family.
It was built by
Henry II of Trastámara as a means of
defence against his brother Peter I (Peter
the Cruel). It lies on what was once an
Arabian castle
It has a
Latin cross plan with three arms formed
by square towers joined by quarter
cylinders and finished off with
crenellations. It comprises of 14 rooms
and houses the three cultures museum. It
lies next to the Roman bridge and has
been the site of many a battle. Site of
the City History Museum
Puente Romano
The
scene of a great many historic battles.
This bridge
links the city with Calahorra castle and
it is believed that it was built by
Octavius Augustus
It underwent
several modifications in 918. It was
extremely important in the battles that
helped free the city against the armies
of Peter I (known as Peter the Cruel).
It has 16 arches that are supported by
robust semicircular abutments. It was of
Muslim design. It has a sculpture of San
Rafael from 1615 in the middle
Juderia
Streets
with a lot of character.
The Jewish
quarter is a complex network of little
streets with a typical Andalusian
flavour. You must pay it a visit and get
lost in its streets.
The Synagogue is situated in the
centre of this traditional neighbourhood,
it is one of the three that exist in
Spain. The building is Mudejar in style,
and presides over the neighbourhood and
its inhabitants. This neighbourhood is
also home to the statue in honour of the
wise Jew Maimónides. It has an irregular
layout. It was an intellectual
stronghold in the time of Abderramán III.
Plaza de la Corredera
The
entrance to the amphitheatre.
It is thought
to be entrance to the amphitheatre
during Roman times as remains have been
found
Other monuments
Sinagoga
Murallas
Torre de la
malmuerta
Palacio de
Viana
Cristo de
los Faroles
Calleja de
las flores
Iglesia de
San Lorenzo
And more
than a halve dozen of other interesting
sites in the city
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