Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos (Castle of the Christian Monarchs), Cordoba (must see)
Long before it became the Castle of the Christian Monarchs, this patch of C贸rdoba was guarded by a Visigothic fortress. In the late 8th century, Abd ar-Rahman I decided the city deserved something grander鈥攕o up went a fortified palace with baths, gardens, and a library that could humble most of Europe. The Almohads, a Berber dynasty with a taste for expansion, kept the upgrades coming in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Everything changed in 1236, when Christian forces claimed C贸rdoba. Alfonso XI rebuilt the castle in the Mudejar style, mixing Islamic elegance with Gothic muscle. By the time gunpowder made its noisy debut in European warfare, the fortress had its walls beefed up for cannon fire.
It wasn鈥檛 all flowers and fountains. In the late 15th century, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon moved in and turned the place into headquarters for the Spanish Inquisition. Christopher Columbus came here in 1486 to pitch his 鈥渓et鈥檚 sail west鈥� idea, while the Inquisition turned the Arab Baths into interrogation rooms. Napoleon鈥檚 troops bunked here in 1810; by 1821, it was a prison.
Four towers guard its corners like mismatched sentinels: the octagonal Tower of Homage with its graceful ogival ceiling; the Tower of Lions, watched over by stone gargoyles; the circular Tower of the Inquisition, as ominous as it sounds; and the Tower of the Dove, a 19th-century stand-in for the one that didn鈥檛 survive.
Inside, the Hall of the Mosaics lines its walls with Roman artistry, while the Courtyard of the Moriscos pairs arched verandas with a central fountain and twin ponds. The Royal Baths of Do帽a Leonor鈥攂uilt in 1328 for Alfonso XI鈥檚 mistress鈥攁dd another layer to the palace鈥檚 tangled past, and the Courtyard of the Women recalls its years as a women鈥檚 prison.
Since 1931, the Alc谩zar has held Cultural Interest Heritage status, and in 1994 it joined C贸rdoba鈥檚 UNESCO-listed Historic Centre. Between its fortified towers, manicured gardens, and centuries of political intrigue, it鈥檚 less a single monument than an entire chapter of Spanish history bound in stone.
Everything changed in 1236, when Christian forces claimed C贸rdoba. Alfonso XI rebuilt the castle in the Mudejar style, mixing Islamic elegance with Gothic muscle. By the time gunpowder made its noisy debut in European warfare, the fortress had its walls beefed up for cannon fire.
It wasn鈥檛 all flowers and fountains. In the late 15th century, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon moved in and turned the place into headquarters for the Spanish Inquisition. Christopher Columbus came here in 1486 to pitch his 鈥渓et鈥檚 sail west鈥� idea, while the Inquisition turned the Arab Baths into interrogation rooms. Napoleon鈥檚 troops bunked here in 1810; by 1821, it was a prison.
Four towers guard its corners like mismatched sentinels: the octagonal Tower of Homage with its graceful ogival ceiling; the Tower of Lions, watched over by stone gargoyles; the circular Tower of the Inquisition, as ominous as it sounds; and the Tower of the Dove, a 19th-century stand-in for the one that didn鈥檛 survive.
Inside, the Hall of the Mosaics lines its walls with Roman artistry, while the Courtyard of the Moriscos pairs arched verandas with a central fountain and twin ponds. The Royal Baths of Do帽a Leonor鈥攂uilt in 1328 for Alfonso XI鈥檚 mistress鈥攁dd another layer to the palace鈥檚 tangled past, and the Courtyard of the Women recalls its years as a women鈥檚 prison.
Since 1931, the Alc谩zar has held Cultural Interest Heritage status, and in 1994 it joined C贸rdoba鈥檚 UNESCO-listed Historic Centre. Between its fortified towers, manicured gardens, and centuries of political intrigue, it鈥檚 less a single monument than an entire chapter of Spanish history bound in stone.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cordoba. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos (Castle of the Christian Monarchs) on Map
Sight Name: Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos (Castle of the Christian Monarchs)
Sight Location: Cordoba, Spain (See walking tours in Cordoba)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cordoba, Spain (See walking tours in Cordoba)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cordoba, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in Cordoba
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cordoba is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Ancient Roman Sites Walking Tour
Under all in Cordoba lies a once redoubtable Roman strongpoint. After Scipio's defeat of the Carthaginians in Llipa, the victorious Romans set up camp by the Guadalquivir River.
Under Augustus, the city gained the status of Colonia Patricia. A perimeter wall was built touching the Guadalquivir River. There were two forums, colonial and provincial. A large amphitheater has been uncovered.... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Under Augustus, the city gained the status of Colonia Patricia. A perimeter wall was built touching the Guadalquivir River. There were two forums, colonial and provincial. A large amphitheater has been uncovered.... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Cordoba Introduction Walking Tour
C贸rdoba treats history like a sculptor treats marble鈥攍ayered, chiseled, and ever revealing something new. Situated in Andalusia, this city has seen empires rise, and its story spans over 2,200 years. Originally named Qart Juba by the Carthaginians, it was refounded in 206 BC by the Romans as Corduba. As the capital of the province Hispania Ulterior, it had to prove its reputation by having its... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Cordoba Jewish Quarter Walk
The Juder铆a de C贸rdoba is the area in C贸rdoba that was once densely populated by the Jews, between the 10th and the 15th centuries. Back then, it was a time when three world religions 鈥� Christianity, Judaism, and Islam 鈥� coexisted in C贸rdoba, although not always peacefully. Attesting to that today are the major religious shrines found in the area, like the Synagogue, the Mosque-Cathedral... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles