Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
36. Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs, Córdoba
During the Moorish domination of Spain, this building had been an important part of the ca-
liphal (royal) complex in Córdoba. When the Christians took the city in the 13th Century, it
was in a very bad condition. However, the new rulers started its restoration and gave its back
its old splendor, to the point that the Catholic monarchs,
Isabel
and Fernando, used it as their
official residence for eight years, while they conquered the last Moorish strongholds.
After the
Reconquista
was over, the monarchs donated the building to the church. Several
centuries later, it was turned into a jail, and currently it belongs to the city council, which
gives it several uses.
The palace is surrounded by a defensive wall with a tower in each corner. The inside is
organized around courtyards, following the Moorish architectural customs, but the ceilings
consist of
Gothic domes
added during the Christian era. Adjacent to the palace are splendid
gardens and courtyards inspired by the
Mudéjar
, remarkable for their symmetry and har-
mony.
Image Credit: Gardens of the Alcazar. Image by
NaturalEarth
.
When It's Free
Admission is free every Wednesday.
