Historic Cordoba Walking Tour: Mezquita, Alcázar & Jewish Quarter

The land we know today as Spain has been known as Al-Andalus since the 8th century and the Arab conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Governed by Muslim rulers, the peninsula first as an Emirate and then as a Caliphate, had its capital in Cordoba. The Muslim period was a true golden age in the city’s history. Never before, during the reign of the Roman Empire and never later, after the fall of the Caliphate and the Reconquista (the recapture of Spain from Arab hands by Christian kings from the north), when Seville became the main Spanish city, Cordoba meant so much. The period between the 8th and 11th centuries was a time of stunning development and peaceful coexistence of 3 great cultures and religions – Jewish, Christian and Muslim. A time when science, art and philosophy flourished. A time of heated discussions, new ideas, interpenetration of styles and trends. It was in Córdoba where the Roman Seneca, the Muslim Averroes and the Jewish Maimonides were born. At a time when Paris or London were just small villages, Córdoba was the cultural capital and largest city in Western Europe. It is estimated that between 250,000 and even 500,000 inhabitants lived there at that time!

On our tour we will walk through the narrow streets of Córdoba, look into the famous, often hidden, patios and squares of the city. These nooks, full of flowers, carefully cared for by the residents, delight with fountains, mosaics and ceramic decorations. We will see the only surviving medieval synagogue in all of Spain and the magnificent Mezquita Mosque. This stately and architecturally sublime building is one of the city’s most beautiful sites. We will also visit the Alcazar (palace) of the Christian Kings, built in the unusual mudéjar style, which combines Arab and European influences. It was from here that Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon led Christopher Columbus on a journey that changed the fate of the world forever, and instead of a sea route to India, led him to the discovery of America. During our walk, we will also pass through the former Jewish quarter, which will take us to the most important building in the city from the Roman times – the Bridge Gate and the monumental Roman Bridge from the time of Emperor Augustus!

Our walk will allow you to discover Cordoba, a fascinating mix of styles, cultures and traditions, and proof that peaceful coexistence allows the creation of the most beautiful and sophisticated works of art known to human history.