Attractions in Cordoba, Spain
Cordoba, Spain: The beauty on the river
Perhaps the most beautiful city in Spain is located picturesquely on the Rio Guadalquivir: Córdoba, capital of the province of the same name in Andalusia. Córdoba is undoubtedly a gem, a city like a work of art, where ancient and modern merge into a picturesque picture. Different cultures that have shaped the face of the city throughout history come to life here. No wonder that the metropolis has been a World Heritage Site since 1984.
Mezquita, an imposing landmark
Spain vacationers who are drawn to Andalusia should not miss a detour to the metropolis. And take your time for it, because the many sights in Córdoba are not so easy to explore in passing. The Mezquita Cathedral, which is also the symbol of the city, is of the greatest importance. The church was once the main mosque when Spain was under Moorish rule between 711 and 1492. With an impressive area of almost two and a half hectares, it is one of the largest sacred buildings in the world. The prayer hall alone takes up about a third of this area. The gigantic horseshoe arches that make the famous prayer room grow out of 19 naves of equal height are particularly eye-catching. After the Christians pushed the Muslims back,
A tremendous cultural heritage
As the history of Cordoba is more than a thousand years old, the city has a tremendous legacy of different cultures that have left their footprints there over the centuries. The buildings worth seeing include:
- the Roman Bridge
- Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos
- Palacio de Viana
- Medina Azahara, a ruined palace near the city
- Bãnos Califales, the baths of the caliphs
- Judería
- Sinagoga de Cordoba
- Plaza del Potro
The eventful history of Cordoba comes to life in the various museums such as Casa de Sefarad or Julio Romero de Torres. The fact that the Andalusian beauty was once the capital of the Hispania Ulterior province of the Roman Empire and at the same time the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate has left not only architectural but also intellectual traces. Seneca the elder, writer, was born there, as was his son Seneca, the younger, who became a world-famous philosopher. In front of the “Gate of Almodovar” there is a statue of the philosopher. ‘Abd ar-Rahman III. was born there and became Cordoba’s first caliph. While strolling through the beautiful old town, you will meet celebrities at every turn. Not everyone was born there but was often a guest. Such as Miguel de Cervantes, the creator of Don Quixote. Cervantes preferred to frequent the “Posada del Potro” inn on Plaza del Potro. The building from the 15th century has been preserved in its original form.
Old and modern – a successful combination
The glamorous past is omnipresent in Córdoba, as is its modernity. Here the old and the new form a refreshing and very successful combination. This is particularly evident in the Plaza de las Tendillas, which connects the historic old town with the modern city center. An expansive pedestrian area with an equestrian statue in the middle, numerous fountains and water features create exactly that relaxed atmosphere that one enjoys in the Mediterranean region. Modern Córdoba also includes fast train connections, an extensive range of buses and taxis and an extensive road network. These infrastructures are not entirely unimportant when you consider what the Andalusian metropolis has to offer. All year round and in every nook and cranny of the city.
