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Córdoba · History

From Corduba to the Caliphate: twenty centuries in one walk

Few cities have been a capital so many times. Córdoba ruled Roman Baetica, then the Umayyad emirate and caliphate, and for a few years it also hosted the court of the Catholic Monarchs. This route crosses the old town from north to south following that thread: from the columns of an imperial temple to Maimonides’ Jewish quarter, the oldest gate of the Mosque and the fortress where Columbus sought support for his voyage.

  • 5 stops
  • 1.8 km
  • 1 h 40 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
St Stephen’s Gate on the west front of the Mosque, with a horseshoe arch of alternating red and white voussoirs

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Roman TempleTen Corinthian columns remind you that beneath Islamic Córdoba lay a Roman capital.
  2. 2 Almodóvar Gate and Seneca statueThe best-preserved gate in the city wall, watched over by the Cordoban philosopher who taught Nero.
  3. 3 Synagogue and Maimonides SquareA prayer hall from 1315 and the most famous physician and philosopher of Córdoba’s Jewish quarter.
  4. 4 Mosque-Cathedral: St Stephen’s GateThe oldest gate of the great mosque, through which the emir’s viziers entered.
  5. 5 Alcázar of the Christian MonarchsThe fortress from which the Catholic Monarchs directed the war for Granada.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

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Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

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What you’ll discover

From Corduba to the Caliphate: twenty centuries in one walk

Roman Córdoba

A first-century temple and the statue of Seneca, the Cordoban who tutored Nero.

Three cultures, one city

The only medieval synagogue in Andalusia, Maimonides and the gate through which the emir entered the great mosque.

1236 and 1492

The Castilian conquest and the Alcázar where the Catholic Monarchs lived while the war for Granada was decided.

Keep exploring

More routes in Córdoba

Back to Córdoba
Mysteries & legendsLanterns, archangels and a sleepless queen MixedThe best of Córdoba: from the Corredera to the patios

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Córdoba?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Córdoba in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Córdoba in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Córdoba in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary