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Articles · Monuments & architecture

Córdoba's monuments: Mezquita, Roman bridge and beyond (Page 2)

From the Mezquita-Catedral's striped arches to the ruins of Medina Azahara, this collection covers Córdoba's monuments one building at a time: what was built when, by whom, and what to actually look for on site.

The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos fortress in Córdoba, which served as headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition for 339 years

Córdoba's Alcázar as Inquisition HQ — 339 Years of Dark History

Sophie Marchand Updated

The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos was headquarters of the alcazar cordoba inquisition for 339 years. What happened inside, and what remains visible today.

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Corinthian column capitals of the reconstructed Roman temple in Córdoba catching afternoon light against a clear blue sky, roman temple cordoba discovery

Córdoba's Roman Temple — Found Under City Hall in 1951

María Fernanda González Updated

In 1951, Córdoba's City Hall expansion broke through to a Roman temple buried for 1,900 years. What workers found, how it was identified, and what survives.

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Interior of the Mezquita-Catedral of Córdoba showing mezquita conversion 1236 reconquista result: red-and-white striped double arches of jasper and marble receding into shadow with the Renaissance cathedral nave rising above in the background, photorealistic golden-hour light

Mezquita Conversion 1236: What the Reconquista Actually Did

Sophie Marchand Updated

In 1236, Ferdinand III captured Córdoba and converted the Great Mosque into a cathedral, left untouched for three centuries until Charles V's architects.

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Interior of the Córdoba Synagogue at Calle de los Judíos, Mudéjar stucco arches and women's gallery with Hebrew inscriptions visible on upper walls, warm directional light, photorealistic

The Córdoba Synagogue's Five Lives Since 1315

Sophie Marchand Updated

Built in 1315 as a private yeshiva, the Córdoba Synagogue survived pogroms, became a rabies hospital, then a cobblers' chapel, before rediscovery in 1885.

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The Puente Romano of Córdoba from the south bank of the Guadalquivir at golden hour, sixteen arches spanning the river, the Mezquita-Catedral tower visible behind, roman bridge cordoba history

Roman Bridge Córdoba: Why It's Mostly Not Roman

Sophie Marchand Updated

Only 2 of the Roman Bridge's 16 arches are actually Roman. The rest is an 8th-century Umayyad rebuild, medieval repairs, and a 1651 Christian statue on top.

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Traditional Córdoba patio with whitewashed walls, hanging geraniums and a central fountain

Córdoba's Patios: Why They Exist and Endure

María Fernanda González Updated

Córdoba's patios stay 10–15°C cooler than the street. Two thousand years of Roman, Moorish and Christian engineering explain why, and why they still work.

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