History Of Cordoba

Cordoba is one of Andalucía’s eight provincial capitals and is located northeast of Seville. The city was founded around 169 BC by the Roman Magistrate, Claudius Marcellus, and quickly became a very important port city that was used for shipping wine and olive oil to Ancient Rome. During the Roman occupation, a bridge was built which still stands today; El Puente Romano.

Throughout this period, Cordoba was home to more cultural sites than Rome itself and it was the capital of Hispania Baetica. Remains of many of the buildings that were erected can still be seen today, including the stunning remains of the temple built by Claudius Marcellus.

The area of Hispania Baetica was conquered by the Muslim world in 711 AD and was renamed Andalucía. Cordoba remained the capital and grew from strength to strength. After the area was conquered, work immediately began on a mosque that was to become one of the greatest Muslim symbols in the world. Today the Great Mosque is one of the largest in the world. With the arrival of the Caliphate, the city boomed and was soon one of the most civilised and sophisticated cities in 10th century Europe. During this century, Cordoba housed almost 1,000 mosques, 600 public baths and it had street lighting 700 years before London. Intellectuals, scholars and doctors were all drawn to the city because of its advancement.

Christian forces occupied Cordoba in 1236 and set out to dispel any Muslims left in the city. After their conquest, King Charles V was so impressed by the sight of the Great Mosque that he ordered the construction of a cathedral to take place within its grounds. The construction began in the 1523 and was completed in 1599. Two joint sites of worship were created and today the Cathedral Mosque is a World Heritage Site.

In recent years, Cordoba has gained a reputation for unique and complex floral patios. The local residents take great pride in their patios and compete to see who can have the most beautiful. Cordoba is also the only provincial capital that is controlled by the Communist Party of Spain.