A City of Three
Civilizations
Once the most advanced city in Europe — where Muslim, Jewish, and Christian cultures created something the world had never seen.
The Story
In the 10th century, Córdoba was the largest city in Western Europe. Its Great Mosque could hold 40,000 worshippers. Its libraries contained more books than any other city on the continent. Its streets were paved and lit when London and Paris were mud and darkness.
The Mezquita — that forest of double arches in red and white — remains one of the most extraordinary buildings on Earth. A Roman temple became a Visigothic church, then a mosque, then a cathedral again — each layer adding rather than erasing what came before.
Today, Córdoba is a city that wears its history lightly. The same patios that Moorish architects designed still overflow with geraniums, tended by families who've lived behind those walls for generations. Flamenco still echoes through the tabernas of the old quarter. And the scent of orange blossom still fills the streets in spring.
Quick Facts
- Population
- 326,000
- Founded
- 169 BC (Roman)
- UNESCO Sites
- 4 designations
- Average Temperature
- 18.2°C / 64.8°F
- Sunny Days per Year
- 300+
- Province
- Andalucía, Spain
UNESCO Heritage
- 1984 — Mezquita-Catedral inscribed
- 1994 — Historic Centre extended
- 2012 — Festival de los Patios (Intangible Heritage)
- 2018 — Medina Azahara inscribed
Through the Ages
Roman Córduba
Claudius Marcellus founds the city. It becomes capital of Hispania Ulterior and birthplace of Seneca.
Islamic Conquest
Córdoba becomes the capital of Al-Andalus. The Great Mosque begins construction on the site of the Visigothic church.
Caliphate of Córdoba
Abd al-Rahman III declares the Caliphate. Córdoba becomes the largest, most cultured city in Europe.
Reconquista
Ferdinand III captures Córdoba. The Mosque is consecrated as a cathedral while preserving its Islamic architecture.
Living Heritage
Four UNESCO designations. Patios tradition alive. A city that honours every layer of its extraordinary past.