Holidays to Cordoba

The Greeks and the Phoenicians traded with what was then called Karduba between the 8th and 3rd centuries BC. The Romans came in the 2nd century BC and stayed until the end of the 4th century AD during which time Cordoba rose to be a patrician colony, in some parts more splendid than Rome itself. Cordoba fell to the catholic Visigoths in the 5th century and in 711 AD was conquered by the Arabs and became the capital of Al-Andalus (Andalusia).

Cordoba prospered under the Moors with a unique blend of Roman, Visigoth and Arab buildings and influences and construction of the Great Mosque, the jewel of Cordoba, began in 785, destined to be a very important centre of pilgrimage for the Muslims. The Great Mosque is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture. There are 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite.

When Cordoba returned to Christian rule in 1236, the mosque was converted into a Roman catholic church and, in the 16th century, a Renaissance cathedral was inserted within the mosque. The scale is monumental and, for many, the Great Mosque is one of the great religious structures of the world.

The city was conquered in 1236 by Saint Ferdinand III, the Moors were expelled and Cordoba Christianised. However, by the 15th-16th century the large Jewish community was expelled which, in part, led to the city’s decline will into the mid 19th century.

Today, Cordoba is a thriving city of innumerable festivals, cafés and restaurants and the old walled town with its winding, narrow streets a delight, especially the Jewish quarter. Moorish influence is everywhere, with churches built on top of mosques, towers, watermills and Roman temples.

The province of Cordoba, which also includes Malaga, encompasses 13,700 square kilometres, with nature reserves, lakes, rivers and mountains and satisfies a variety of interests from bird watching to hiking.