Parador of the month – Parador de Cordoba
About the Parador of Cordoba…
The Parador is located in the foothills of the Cordoba
mountains, the Sierra Morena, in the residential district of
Brillante, which makes the temperature of this area 4
degrees under the temperature of the city, which is very
appreciable in Andalucia. The swimming pool and its green
spaces heighten the feeling of well being, amongst the first
palm trees planted in Europe by the Arab caliph Abdu'rRaman who in 765 A.D built on the site of his small summer
palace. The Parador “La Arruzafa” at Cordoba gets its name
from “Arruzafa”, Arabic for "Garden of the palm trees".
A little bit of Cordoba’s history…
During the 10th century, Cordoba was Europe’s biggest city and for a long time the most developed.
At this time, the city had more than 1000 mosques and 600 public baths. From 1230, the caliphate
was unstable and split into several little states. Their rivalry encouraged the Christian attacks that
later reclaimed the country from the Moors.
Since 1984, the historical centre of Cordoba has been assigned as International Patrimony of
UNESCO. Cordoba is a city of tolerance, of cultural fusion and of successful harmony between
different populations: Muslims and Jewish people were living well together for a long time until the
“Reconquista” in 1492.
Cordoba was a Muslim City until 1236, the date of the arrival of Ferdinand III of Castile, and Muslims
were tolerated until the beginning of the inquisition in 1492. Then those Muslims who had not left for
Maghreb and were not converted as Catholics were persecuted.
What you absolutely must see in Cordoba…
The Great Mosque (Mezquita)
This beautiful historical monument will certainly
charm you. The construction of this masterpiece
started in 785 and lasted 202 years in total.
The main hall of the mosque was used for a variety of
purposes. It served as a central hall for teaching and to
manage law and order within Al-Andalus during the
rule of Abd-Al-Rahman.
In 1236, Ferdinand III of Castile turned the big mosque
into a huge cathedral. The kings who followed added
further Christian features, such as King Henry II
rebuilding the chapel in the 14th century.
The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave right in the middle
of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, King of Castile
and Aragon.
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The Arab baths
Water is the most important element in the Islamic
culture and the city of Cordoba is organised around
this element. As the ex-capital of the Al-Andalus
kingdom, Cordoba had its own public baths. They are
divided into three parts:
- The cold water room
- The temperate water room
- The hot water room (with the Hammam)
You may like to spend several hours in this beautiful
place. You can enjoy the traditional, relaxing Arabic
music inside as you sip traditional peppermint tea. The
rates include a 15 minute massage by local
professional masseurs and they will ask you for your preference of massage oil.
Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs
The fortress served as one of the primary
residences of Isabella I of Castile and
Ferdinand II of Aragon during the
Reconquista.
The best time for visiting the Alcazar is
springtime because of the thousands of
flowers, orange and lemon trees decorating
the city of Cordoba and its fortress’ gardens.
If you feel energetic, you can climb the stairs
of the fortress and you will enjoy the view of
the city that the Catholic kings had. You can
also walk through the gardens, see their
attractive fountains and appreciate the site like the Kings used to.
The Roman Bridge and the “Paseo del
Guadalquivir”
This is definitely the walk to do in Cordoba. The best
time to do it is the evening when the sun is going
down. You should know that the Guadalquivir in
Cordoba is a natural reserve and at this time of the day
you would be able to hear all the birds that are living
there. The mixture of the lights of the Mezquita, the
birds and the noise of the river passing under the
bridge will put a spell on you.
The Madinah al-Zahra archaeological site
Al Madinah al-Zahra was an Arabic Medieval town
located about 5 kilometres from Córdoba. Work on
excavating its ruins started in the 1910’s. Only about
10 percent of the 112 sites have been excavated and
restored so far.
Caliph Abd ar-Rahman III of Córdoba had built the
city between 936 and 940, which flourished for
approximately 80 years. After he had proclaimed
himself caliph in 928, establishing the independent
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Umayyad Caliphate in the West, he decided to show his subjects and the world his power by building
a palatial-city 5-km from Córdoba. The largest known city built from scratch in Western Europe, it
would be described by travellers from northern Europe and from the East as a dazzling series of
palaces full of treasures never seen before. Around 1010, Madinat al-Zahra was sacked during the
civil war that led to the dissolution of the Caliphate of Cordoba. The raid effectively wiped the city off
the map for a millennium.
The Almodovar Castle
The “Castillo de Almodovar” (Almodóvar Castle), is
located 22 kilometres from Cordoba in the
municipality of Almodóvar del Río.
The magnificent style of this construction, set in an
amazing location, has traces of multiple cultures
such as the Moslem and the Christian. Discover the
beauty of its walls, of its towers (the square tower,
the round tower and the Homage tower), the “Patio
de Armas” (Weapons Courtyard) and the mystery of
its underground dungeons, the passages and other
underground elements.
There is a legend in the Castle. Many people who worked in the Castle and people from the small
village nearby, Almodovar del Rio, could see and hear, the same night each year, a woman walking
and crying by the battlements of the castle. Also, they could hear a man screaming from the
dungeons.
What is happening in Cordoba?
There are lots of events that bring Cordoba to life, especially during the springtime, the most
pleasant season of the year.
Holy Week (Easter)
The week before Easter, lots of processions
representing diverse religious scenes are
organised. Every church has its own procession and
the routes are carefully planned.
It is fascinating to observe the behaviour of the
Andalusian people during these processions. The
streets are full, especially on Maundy Thursday.
Everybody is waiting before the processions to
arrive by eating “pipas” (sunflower seeds). The
ground is sprinkled with them and all generations
are fervent followers of these small appetisers.
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The May Crosses
In Cordoba, after the festivities of the Holy Week
that are celebrated everywhere in Spain, the local
celebrations take over. They open with the contest
of the May Crosses, which runs for 2 weeks
between April and May. This demonstration, which
celebrates the spring, comes from on an ancestral
religious tradition. The inhabitants raise crosses
covered with flowers everywhere in the city. This
celebration is the opportunity for everyone to
meet in the streets around these famous crosses
decorated with flowers to have a drink, dance and
sing to the rhythm of traditional Spanish music
such as flamenco or sevillanas.
The Patios
From 6 to 18 May a sweet perfume of flowers
glides over the historical centre of Cordoba. It is
the season of the Patios’ contest decorated with
flowers in the old district of Juderia. The owners
decorate their patios with flowers and open them
to the public. This is a marvellous opportunity to
discover usually inaccessible places of the city. A
jury passes through every patio to classify them.
The Feria
May ends with the “Feria” of Cordoba. Animation
and atmosphere are guaranteed. An immense
carnival begins outside the city. “Casetas” are
built next to each other to receive the visitors
during the whole period of the feria. This is a real
opportunity to try flamenco and sevillanas, which
are the most important dances during this event.
You can taste and drink typical Spanish products
such as local tapas and various wines of the
region.
Event planner:
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Holy week
The May Crosses
The Patios
The Feria
The Corridas
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Dec