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In 711, the Islamic governor of Ifraqiya — a province of the Caliphate of Damascus — launched an invasion of Iberia.  His lieutenant, Tariq, conquered the Visigoth kingdom with an army of 12,000 north-African Berbers, supplemented two years later by an additional 18,000 troops from Arabia and Yemen.  This small group of Muslim invaders quickly consolidated control over the conquered territories.
They allowed Christians and Jews — "people of the book" — to continue practicing their religion, and most landowners retained their property.

Al-Andalus

   Of course, Muslims enjoyed additional benefits, and most subjects freely converted to Islam, some even adopting the Arabic language.
Meanwhile, when a new clan came to power in Damascus, a member of the Umayyad dynasty, Abd al-Rahman, fled to the provinces.  Arriving in Iberia in 756, he seized power and declared the independence of the Emirate of Cordoba.  Thus began the golden age of Al-Andalus, lasting nearly three centuries.

Puerta del Perdón, entrance to the Mezquita, closed for the night

Entering the Puerta del Perdón

Córdoba UNESCO World Heritage List

 Baroque-era entrance to the Mezquita courtyard

Baroque addition the the south facade
An important commercial center under the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, Cordoba was captured by Rome in 206 BC.  It became capital of the province of Baetica in 152 BC, but was supplanted by Seville in the 3rd century AD.
View along the west side of the Mezquita, towards the Raphael column South facade of the Mezquita
Entrance to the "Holy Cathedral Church", the former mosque (mezquita) Cordoba was also the birthplace of the stoic philosopher, Seneca, in the 1st century AD. As its name implies, the Torre del Alminar is built on the foundations of the former minaret   Like the rest of Roman Hispania, Cordoba fell to the Visigoths, then to the Moors. Entrance to the Patio de los Naranjos (Courtyard of the Orange Trees) outside the mosque
Doorway to the mosque on the west facade The east facade doorways were recreated in the 10th century when al-Mansur expanded the mosque The exterior doorways were restored in the early 20th century
Inside the Mezquita, a forest of columns, many from Roman or Visigothic ruins, stretches in every direction The first Moorish emir married the widow of the Visigoth king, establishing his rule at Seville.  Intersection of Islamic and Christian architecture inside the mosque / cathedral
  A double layer of arches gives added support while enhancing the impression of height  
  Ribbed dome built during the reign of al-Hakam II On orders from Damascus, the emir was overthrown and the capital of al-Andalus was moved to Cordoba in 716. Lobulate arches of the al-Hakam II addition  
    Ceiling detail near the back of the mosque    
Abd al-Rahman, the first Umayyad ruler, established the great mosque on the site of a Christian basilica in 784. Later rulers — including Abd al-Rahman II, al-Hakam II, and al-Mansur — expanded it over the centuries.
Glimpse through one of the arches of the prayer niche Cordoba dominated affairs on the Iberian Peninsula and much of North Africa. The mihrab was meant to indicate the direction of Mecca (although this one faces south-by-southeast)  
More "lobulate" arches in the prayer niche (mihrab)  

 

 Another horeshoe arch beside the mihrab
  Dome in front of the mihrab  

 
Christian chapel at the rear of the mosque  

 

 Christian chapel inside the mosque, by the Puerta de San Estebán  
Another chapel tucked amid the Islamic arches  

 

 Juxtaposition of Moorish and Christian architecture
  The Moors exacted tribute and collected slaves from the northern Christian kingdoms.
Construction of the cathedral inside the Mezquita began in 1523 Cathedral cupola, in the Italianate style Construction of the cathedral dragged on for 240 years
Detail of the mahogany choir stalls In 929, Abd al-Rahman III assumed the title "caliph" — breaking ties with Baghdad, successor to Damascus. Cathedral construction involved the destruction of much of the mosque
Laura across the Guadalquivir, with the Puente Romano and Mezquita in the background The Torre de la Calahorra once guarded the far end of the Roman bridge over the river View of the cathedral rising above the Mezquita, from the Puente Romano
Column honoring the Archangel Raphael, patron saint of Cordoba Soon, Cordoba rivaled Constantinople and even Baghdad in wealth, power, and population. Detail of the Raphael column, commemorating the survival of the city after a 17th century plague The Moorish metropolis boasted as many as 3,000 mosques and 10,000 shops in its heyday. "Triunfo de San Rafaelo"
  Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Fortress of the Christian Kings)   Statues of Columbus and his patrons in the gardens of the Alcázar  
Fernando III began construction of the Alcázar in 1328 Despite its glorious achievements, Umayyad rule of al-Andalus proved increasingly fragile. Craig in the gardens of the Alcázar
  The Alcázar is built on the ruins of earlier Roman and Islamic buildings  
View of the fountains behind the Alcázar It rested on military victories and suppression of dissent.  Rising military costs led to higher taxes and currency devaluation.
The Alcázar later served as headquarters of the local Inquisition Laura in the Alcázar gardens Kittens & lions outside the Alcázar
Later caliphs were weak, dependent on powerful generals such as al-Mansur, who sacked Barcelona and Santiago de Compostella.
Roman mosaic preserved within the Alcázar   Marble sarcophagus inside the Alcázar, with portraits of the dead and their protecting spirits   Reconstruction of the Roman temple of Claudius Marcellus
Political intrigue caused a series of succession crises, and the the caliphate collapsed in 1031.
  Museum of the Alcázar   Another Roman mosaic in the Alcázar museum  
View of the Torre del Alminar from the old Jewish quarter at night Calleja de las Flores (Blossom Lane) perfectly frames the former minaret Courtyard of the Museo Arqueológico
Plaza del Potro, outside the Museo de Bellas Artes     Entrance to the Museo Taurino (Bullfighting Museum), on the Plaza de Maimónides
Despite these political difficulties, arts and sciences continued to flourish in Cordoba.
The city was famous for its large number of libraries and scholars, renowned even in the Christian kingdoms of Europe.
Entrance to Indios Street The philosopher and jurist ibn Rushd was known as Averroës by his contemporaries. Cristo de los Faroles, in the center of the Plaza de Capuchinos
Equestrian statue in the Plaza de las Tendillas, at night He re-introduced the theories of Aristotle to the Christian world. Relatively modern architecture in the Plaza de las Tendillas
Monument to a Moorish physician The 12th-century Jewish theologian and physician Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides) also gained fame.  Unfortunately, he faced religious persecution as the Moors became increasingly intolerant under the Christian onslaught. Remains of the city walls and moat
  Statue of Averroës outside the city walls  
Laura explores the city walls 15th-century Torre de la Malmuerta
Interior of the medieval synagogue, one of only three remaining in all of Spain   Statue of Maimónides, on the square that bears his name in the Jewish quarter   The Cordoba synagogue was built in 1315, while the Christian kings were still tolerant of other religions
Laura passing a Baroque fountain

Church on the Plaza de San Juan

 Iglesia de la Santa Victoria Enjoying the national pasttime in the Plaza de la Corredera, former site of bullfights & public executions Colorful church on the Plaza de Socorro

Plaza de la Compañía
After the fall of Toledo in 1085, new recruits from North Africa — known as Almoravids — crossed over to the peninsula, followed by the Almohads in the 12th century.  Nevertheless, the Moors were defeated by the combined Christian armies at Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212.
Plaza de la Fuenseca, behind our hotel Iglesia de San Agustín
Iglesia de San Miguel, one of Fernando's parish churches Bullfighting monument in front of the Iglesia de Santa Marina Iglesia de San Lorenzo is the most spectacular "fernandina" church Fernando's churches, like the Iglesia de San Pedro, featured common late Romanesque & early Gothic elements
Iglesia de San Rafael Baroque church across the street from the Ayuntamiento (town hall) Medieval house on the Plaza de Orive
Palacio de Viana, a 16th-century mansion Fernando III of Castile captured Cordoba in 1236, and immediately directed the construction of over a dozen parish churches around the city.  Work began on the cathedral — built in the midst of the Great Mosque — in 1523. Sculpture outside the Grille Courtyard of the Palacio de Viana
  The Grille Courtyard takes its name from the ironwork separating it from the street outside  
The Viana Palace features over a dozen courtyards Chapel Courtyard in the Viana Palace
Archive Courtyard, outside the palace library   Gardeners' Courtyard   Well Courtyard
The Column Courtyard was built recently as a venue for musical & social events Orange-Tree Courtyard The Courtyard of the Cats attempts to reproduce the atmosphere of a typical Cordaba communal courtyard

Medina Azahara (Madinat al-Zahra)
Laura outside the House of the Viziers Caliph Abd al-Rahman III began work on a royal retreat just to the west of Cordoba around 936. Craig beside the ruined portico
Dar al-Wuzara (House of the Viziers)

Named for his favorite wife, it was designed to be a self-sufficient city.

 Reconstruction of the House of the Viziers
Ruins outside the royal reception hall Vegetal design depicting the tree of life, inside the reception hall Ruins of the Aljama mosque
His son, al-Hakam II, directed construction of the city. He continued this work after his ascension to power in 961.
Royal reception hall (Dar al-Mulk) of Abd al-Rahman III 10,000 workers, 15,000 mules, and 4,000 camels were employed in the construction of the most luxurious royal city in all of Europe.
Horseshoe arch in the royal reception hall The reception hall was once elaborately decorated with gold & silver, ebony & ivory, diamonds & other precious stones Ruins in the city's residential sector
Unfortunately, its glory days were short-lived.  It was sacked by Berber tribes in 1010, and abandoned within a few years.
The site was pillaged of building materials over the years. Monastery on the hill above the ruined city Today, only one-tenth of the city has been excavated.
View from the foothills above Medina Azahara Local resident

Practical Information

We stayed in Cordoba for two nights in early February 2004.

  • Hotel: We stayed at the Hotel Alfaros just a few blocks from the old town
  • Restaurants: We ate at Los Patios, a small hotel restaurant opposite the Mezquita the first night, and opted for Chinese at La Gran Muralla the second
  • Transportation: Cordoba is easily accessible on foot, but we needed the car to drive out to Medina Azahara

This page was first published 25 July 2004, and last updated 08 March 2005.