History tells of Cordoba as a Carthaginian city conquered by the Romans. The Goths arrived in 572 followed by the Moors in 711. Cordoba's history changed with the arrival of the Arabs. All the emirs had a predilection for this city, which was the most intensely populated and modern city in the western world during the 10th century. It had 300 mosques, splendid palaces, public baths, an efficient sewer system, innovative public lighting and the cultural contribution of distinguished scholars. In the 11th century the emirate split up and Cordoba began to slowly decline, eventually rediscovering its treasures by the 20th century. Cordoba has remained principally a Moorish city as can be seen by the mosque-cathedral.
Sightseeing:
- The Mosque-Cathedral - first built as a mosque in 785. Several extensions included the Mirab where a copy of the Koran was kept on the bottom wall, and an extension to the prayer room by Al-Mansur adding a further eight naves. This resulted in a forest of more than 800 marble, granite and jasper columns bearing typical red and white striped arches. In 1523 Charles V had a Catholic Cathedral grafted into this stone forest which was not finished until 250 years later, encompassing styles from Gothic to Baroque. Once the second greatest mosque in Islam, second only to one in Mecca, the elegance of Arabian art still lives on.
- The Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos - a residential complex ordered by Alphonse XI during the 14th century. This palace, once the seat of the king and his court, is now transformed into a museum where Roman sarcophagi and mosaics can be admired.
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