Córdoba (Spain)

Introduction

Cordoba Street

© All Rights Reserved therook

The city of Córdoba has had a long and important history on the Iberian peninsula. The town is located in the Guadalquivir river valley, which made for easy access to the natural resources in the nearby Morena Mountains. The city was the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Ulterior Baetica, which was the southwest corner of modern Spain. The city remained very important during the Byzantine Empire and during the Visigoth occupation.

Córdoba became the capital again during the 10th century when the Moors set up an independent Caliphate in Spain. The city had between 250,000 people and 500,000, which is larger then today. The city went by the Arabic name of Qurţuba(قرطبة) at that time, and was one of the most important and the biggest western European city at that time. During the 10th century the city built many amazing sights and flourished. Everything changed in 1236 when the city was retaken by the Catholic ruler Fernando III during the reconquista. After that the city got in decline, until the late 19th century and the arrival of many industries, and later tourism. The reason why people visit Córdoba today is because of the many wonderful medieval sights in the city to explore.

Neighbourhoods

The city is mainly divided between the north part of town and the southern part of town.

Sights and Activities

Mezquita

Cordoba_La Mezquita_31

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The Mezquita, which means mosque in Spanish, is a present day Roman Catholic Cathedral located in the city. This religious site has under gone many transformations over the centuries. It originally was a Roman temple and over a thousand columns in the current church made of jasper, onyx and marble mostly belonged to the original Roman temple and several other Roman building in the area. A new church was built on the foundation of the temple in 600 AD by the Visigoths.

But when Moorish forces occupied the city in 711 they started to turn it into a mosque. At one time this mosque was the second largest in the muslim world. As the different rulers controlled the structure they left different things. This includes things like towers, larger columns and when the Christians took it back in 1236, re-consecrating it very quickly back into a church, alterations such as a royal chapel, replacing Islamic columns with Baroque style ones and a Renaissance style nave were built. Today the Mezquita is the most important church in Córdoba and entrance tickets cost €6.50.

Other Sights and Activities

• Historic Centre of Córdoba - Visit the stunning old town of this amazing city that is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Synagogue is a nice 14th century synagogue.
• Walcha Cave was built in 1489.
• Palace of Viana is an amazing 16th century palace.
• 

  Medina Az-Zahra, Cordoba

  © All Rights Reserved Mancunion

  Medina Az-Zahra is a ruined city 5 km outside of Córdoba, of which only 10% has been excavated. The city was built from scratch and was only occupied for 80 years during the late 10th century. The city was destroyed in 1010 and became myth until rediscovered in 1911.
• The Tower of Calahorra is a 14th century tower.
• The Door of the Bridge was built in the 16th century.
• Rio Guadalquivir is a restored Islamic water wheel.
• The Plaza Vieja
• Plaza Mayor

Events and Festivals

Weather

The summers are extremely dry with daily thermal oscillations. Some of these oscillations can reach up to 40 °C and the average daily maximum temperature is around 27 °C, which is the highest in Spain and Europe. Most of the rain occurs during the winter months of December through February with annual rainfall around 500 mm. Winters are mostly between 10 and 15 °C during the day, though nights can get chilly and frost is not unheard of.

Getting There

By Plane

Córdoba Airport (ODB) is a small airport that only used to serve a few flights within Spain and to Casablanca. The airport is located about 6 km west of the city centre.
Fly Sur was the only operator, but flights have been temporarily suspended.

By Train

The train station which was rebuilt in 1992 is a major stop along the high speed AVE Madrid - Seville line as well as many other regional and national train lines. Check RENFE for more information about schedules and prices.

By Car

Córdoba lies along the A-4 motorway, between Madrid and Sevilla. From Málaga you can reach Córdoba via de A-45. From Extremadura (Badajoz), you can take the national route N-432.

By Bus

The bus station is located across the street from the train station. Check Movelia for routes and more.

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

• University of Córdoba

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

If you want to post a card, you can head to the post office (Correos). The Spanish post is not yet as efficient as colleagues in other countries so receiving a card can take a bit longer than the number of days that it should take. On the website of Correos, you can find the locations of nearby post offices.
Post offices are generally open from 8:30am to 2:00pm, although times can vary and the main post office usually is open until the early evening. Most will also open again on Saturday mornings, but in the smaller towns will close as early as 12 noon. When posting a letter, look for a yellow box and, if possible, post at the post office itself where there will also be divisions for local, national and international mail. Be prepared for long queues at the post office. This is why tobacco shops sell stamps and many will also have the facility to weigh packages.
Standard letters/postcards of up to 20 grams sent within Spain are €0.34. However, non-standard letters/postcards of up to 20g are €0.39. Letters/postcards of 20 to 50 grams are €0.45. In the case of international shipping, the price is €0.64 to most countries within Europe for standard envelopes (letters/postcards) up to 20g, for a few European countries and outside Europe it is €0.78.