Cordoba
Located in Andalusia,
Cordoba is the capital of the
southern province of
Cordoba.
Cordoba was founded by the
Romans and gained in power
because it controlled the
Guadalquivir River, along
with most of the region’s
trade.
From about 929 to 1030,
Cordoba was the capital of
the Caliphate of Cordoba,
controlling almost all of what
is now Spain.
Moorish Heritage
• The Cordoban Moors constructed
more than 1000 mosques during their
rule.
• By far the greatest mosque is called
the Mezquita.
• Originally constructed from 784 to 987,
the building is notable for its myriad
columns of precious stones like jasper,
marble, and onyx.
• The Mezquita received a significant
alteration when the Christians
conquered the city, a cathedral nave
right in the middle of the building.
Protested by the Muslims, the
cathedral may have preserved the
Mezquita from the Inquisition.
Modern Cordoba
• Cordoba is the only provincial
capital in Spain controlled by
a leftist coalition.
• Skilled floral arrangements
play a role in social life, and
many Cordobans hold
contests to see who has the
most beautiful patio.
• Flamenco dancing remains a
strong presence in Cordoba,
and they declared 2006 to be
the Year of Flamenco.
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
• The Alcazar is another historic
Muslim monument. located near
the Mezquita.
• The Alcazar housed the largest
library in the Western world, and
flourished as a political and
cultural center even during the
Dark Ages.
• This fortress served as the home
of Isabella of Castille and
Ferdinand II of Aragon, the
financial backers of Columbus.
• Later, the fort served as one of
the Inquisition’s headquarters,
converting much of it into torture
chambers.
• In 1810, the Alcazar played host
to Napoleon’s troops.
Medina Azahara
• The Medina, located about 5
miles from Cordoba,
flourished for about 80 years
before being sacked and burnt
to the ground by Islamic
purists.
• The Medina was once the
capital of al-Andalus.
• Before its destruction, the
Medina was the largest city
built from the ground up by
one ruler in Western Europe.
• The city covered 112
hectares, and was the
Versailles of the middle ages.
• Today, only 10% of the city is
visible or restored.
Strange Cordoba Fact
• There are more than one thousand cities
called 'Córdoba' in the Americas. In 1991,
a documentary team traveled all over the
continent, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego,
visiting many of them. The resulting TV
series, "La ruta de las Córdobas", was
broadcast on Spanish national television
and bought by more than 20 countries.
Research sites
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Wikipedia.org
http://two-wugs.net/pix/anda/f/mezquita.jpg
www.segoviamint.org
www.virtourist.com
http://content.answers.com/main/content/w
p/en-commons/thumb/a/a6/300pxMezquita_de_Medina_Azahara.jpg
• http://www.grid.unep.ch/product/publicatio
n/freshwater_europe/images/map14.jpg