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Spain Travel - City Guide CordobaVery few places in the world can boast of having been the capital of Hispania Ulterior under the Roman Empire, and the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate. Such splendor is palpable in the intellectual wealth of this centre of wisdom and knowledge, that has seen the birth of figures like Seneca, Averroes and Maimonides. Maciá Alfaros This stylish, 4-star hotel, built in the Al-Andalus style, is set between Córdobas commercial centre and its main historic sights, all of which are within walking distance. Enjoy the hotel's pool. The Maciá Alfaros' interiors boast ornate patterns, ... Hotel Conquistador Located just around the corner from the river, in an alley facing the east side of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mezquita mosque, this hotel blends in perfectly. Built in the typical architectural style of old Cordoba, including a lovely ... More News Spain   Morning Walking Tour of CordobaThis walking tour through the streets of Cordoba will really allow you to get to know the history and traditions of this intriguing city, with its beguiling mix of Roman, Arabic and Spanish history.
Recommended Hotel in Cordoba
 Macia Alfaros Hotel Cordoba  This stylish, 4-star hotel, built in the Al-Andalus style, is set between Córdoba’s commercial centre and its main historic sights, all of which are within walking distance. The hotel serves as a good base to visit important sites such as the Mosque, the Jewish Quarter, the Sinagogue, the Viana Palace, the Fernandinas Churchs and a wide range of important monuments and museums which are near of the hotel. In the hotel itself you will note the ornate patterns, tiles, columns and arches typical of the city’s style. And it is within the traditional Andalusian courtyard that you will find the hotel’s impressive swimming pool. Maciá Alfaros This stylish, 4-star hotel, built in the Al-Andalus style, is set between Córdobas commercial centre and its main historic sights, all of which are within walking distance. Enjoy the hotel's pool. The Maciá Alfaros' interiors boast ornate patterns, ... Hotel Conquistador Located just around the corner from the river, in an alley facing the east side of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mezquita mosque, this hotel blends in perfectly. Built in the typical architectural style of old Cordoba, including a lovely ... Accommodation in Cordoba: Hotels Cordoba - Last Minute Hotels Cordoba - Apartments Cordoba Golf CordobaClub De Campo De Cordoba The site of the golf club is a fantastic Mediterranean pine forest, oak and cork oak in perfect harmony with the environment, where you will enjoy spectacular views in the middle of nature, without any building except for the clubhouse, which is fully equipped to enjoy a stay comfortable and a magnificent meal. Hotels near Club De Campo De Cordoba To take a stroll through the historic quarter of Cordoba is to discover a beautiful network of small streets, alleys, squares and whitewashed courtyards arranged around the Mosque-Cathedral, which reflects the importance of the city during medieval times and which is a real symbol of the capital. Without disregarding its splendid past, Cordoba is definitely a modern city that has been able to adapt to the present day, offering the most modern infrastructures and services, as well as a large network of hotels. Very well connected to the other Andalusian capitals, Cordoba also has the high speed train (AVE) and a very extensive railway network linking it to all the big cities, like Madrid and Seville. Once inside the city, a large network of buses and taxis enable visitors to reach any destination in a few minutes. Cordoba is also synonymous with art, culture and leisure, thanks to a myriad of cultural events that are organized here throughout the year: Flamenco festivals, concerts, ballet and other activities that are complemented by a number of museums and an exciting nightlife. Meanwhile, the province is home to important buildings of the Andalusian heritage, whose highest expression is the Medina Azahara, located on the outskirts of the city. But there is great spectacle also for nature lovers. The parks of Sierra de Cardeña in Los Pedroches and Montoro, the Hornachuelos Sierra and Sierras Subbéticas offer the possibility of practicing all kinds of open-air sports, while at the same time enjoying the natural wealth of this province. The historic quarter of Cordoba, declared a World Heritage Site, still preserves traces of the ancient splendor of the Caliphate of Cordoba, which made this city one of the most cultured and refined of medieval Europe. In the tenth century, during the rule of Abd-al-Rahman III, the medina at one point had a thousand mosques, eight hundred public baths, and a very advanced system of street lighting. Its urban layout rivaled the monuments of Constantinople, Damascus and Baghdad. Dominating the landscape: the Great Mosque. Its fame spread after it was built, due to its ingenious construction and its wealth. The "forest of columns" (there are nearly a thousand of them), set on top of the Visigoth basilica, is one of the main attractions of this place. Nineteen naves make up the quadrangular plan of the early mosque, divided by a double series of arches, which combine Moorish arches and semicircular arches. In addition to alternating brick with stone, and red with white, other decorative elements were used, such as sculpted marble, stucco, mosaics, and plasterwork. The Cathedral and Mosque now form a unique architectural space because, during the Reconquest, it was decided that a Gothic-style cathedral would be built inside the mosque itself. With the passing of time, Plateresque and Baroque elements came into play. Thus, barrel vaults and Baroque ornaments fuse with geometrical motifs and verses from the Koran. Another Muslim-Hispanic legacy is the Jewish quarter, which runs from the mosque to the walls and the Almodovar Gate. It is made up of a network of narrow streets with whitewashed façades, adorned with tiles and grilles. The Plazuela de las Flores is located in this district, as well as the house of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, and the Synagogue, the only one that still stands in the city. In the 13th century, under the reign of Fernando III, the Saint, new defensive structures were built, such as the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (the Fortress of the Christian Monarchs) and the Tower of Calahorra. The Alcázar is a defensive structure on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, protecting magnificent gardens, fountains and water channels inside. On the other side of the Triumph of San Rafael sculpture and the Roman bridge, rises the Tower, which used to be part of a walled castle. The city of Cordoba is organized around numerous squares. The Plaza del Potro, the Plaza de Corredera and the Plaza de Capuchinos, where the Christ of Los Faroles is kept, are three beautiful examples of these meeting points for Cordovans. Among the numerous buildings in the historic quarter, it is pointing out the churches of San Pedro, San Andres and La Compañia. In addition, there are several outstanding museums, such as the Bullfighting Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Regional Museum of Fine Arts and the Julio Romero de Torres Museum. The Archaeological Museum, located in the Renaissance palace of Paez, shows Iberian, Roman, Visigoth, Muslim, Mudejar and Renaissance pieces. The Fine Arts Museum, located in the old Charity Hospital, houses an interesting collection of work by mainly Andalusian artists. It is worth mentioning the drawings of Valdés Leal, Zurbarán, Murillo, Palomino, Antonio del Castillo and Juan de Peñalosa, as well as the sculptures of Juan de Mesa and Mateo Inurria. The Julio Romero de Torres Museum shares a courtyard with the Museum of Fine Arts and brings together the works of the Cordovan painter, who achieved great popularity with his populist symbolism, images with a certain aura of mystery. The recently opened Diocesan Museum of Fine Arts, in the old Episcopal Palace, dedicates a room to artists from the province. The room dedicated to medieval art is outstanding, as is the tapestry collection and the choral books from the Cathedral. The Casa de las Bulas(16th century) houses the Bullfighting Museum, which displays collections related to the world of bullfighting, many of them closely linked with the city's bullfighting tradition. Cordoba also has important arts centers very worthy of mention, such as the Merced Palace, headquarters of the provincial council, and the Palace of Viana, also known as the Courtyard Museum. In its halls, besides the rich fittings, important painting, tapestry, porcelain, tile, and firearms collections are kept. No less remarkable are the numerous Cordovan exhibition halls, such as the Bartolome Bermejo Room, the Alarife Gallery, and the Chapter House. The color of the orange trees, all year round, and the scent of their blossoms are the ideal environment in which to taste the varied cuisine offered by almost all bars and restaurants in the city (Iberian cured meats, cheese, fish and particularly the excellent stews), to go with the generous glasses of wine that, in Cordoba, have such a special flavor. |