The Torre de la Calahorra has stood at the southern entrance to the Puente Romano for more than eight centuries. The tower now houses the Living Museum of Al-Andalus and a rooftop terrace with one of the clearest views in Córdoba: the Roman bridge below, the Arab mills on the river, and the monumental mass of the Mezquita across the water.
A Strategic Medieval Fortress
Built during the Islamic period in the 12th century and reinforced in the 14th century after the Christian Reconquista, the tower controlled the southern access to the city via the bridge. Any army crossing the Guadalquivir had to pass beneath it. The thick walls and arrow slits remain from the original defensive structure, while Gothic additions from the 14th century altered its upper sections.
The Living Museum of Al-Andalus
The Living Museum of Al-Andalus uses scale models, audiovisual displays, and reproductions of scientific instruments to cover the period when Córdoba was the intellectual capital of medieval Europe. The thematic rooms address the philosophy of Averroes and Maimonides, the astronomy of Al-Andalus (astrolabes, sundials), and the medicine of the golden age. This is the most accessible treatment in Córdoba of how Muslim, Jewish, and Christian scholars worked in the same city.
Visiting Tips
Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour for the museum and the view from the panoramic terrace. Best results for photography: late afternoon, when the setting sun hits the Mezquita facade — roughly between 6pm and 8pm depending on the season. Audioguides in multiple languages are included. Reduced rate for students and seniors (€3).
Combining with the Ribera Route
Combine with a walk across the Puente Romano for a complete tour of the Ribera waterfront. From the tower, the Judería is a 10-minute walk. All free walking tours of Córdoba pass the tower with commentary on its role in the city's defences.
