Cordoba Mosque and Alcazar Guided Tour

This activity lasts just over 2 hours and focuses on the two most famous monuments of Cordoba: the Mosque Cathedral and the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs. It includes not only explanations by an expert guide, but also priority entrance tickets to avoid queues. Normally, the activity begins with a visit to the fortress, although the order may vary.

The Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs summarises the history of the city. A political and military centre since the times of ancient Rome, it housed a palace of the caliphs that was later transformed into the fortress we can see today. The guide will explain in detail the Roman mosaics preserved inside, show you the walls and towers and tell you the history of this building, which also housed the Inquisition.

Crucial decisions for the future of Spain were taken here. It was within these very walls that the assault on Granada, the last Arab kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, and the expedition of the three caravels to the Americas were decided. Not for nothing did the Catholic Monarchs live in the Alcázar for about 8 years.

Special mention should be made of the gardens, characterised by their beautiful fountains and the lemon, orange, palm and cypress trees. Here you will also find the statues of the Catholic Monarchs and Christopher Columbus.

Finally, the guide will take you to the nearby Mosque Cathedral. Again, this beautiful building is influenced by the cultural mix that has characterised Cordoba and Andalusia. It is the most visited monument in the city and is very large. Its size is linked to the wishes of its founder, Abd al-Rahman I, who wanted to put Cordoba on a par with Baghdad and Istanbul, the two most important cities of Islam.

In 1236, the Andalusian city was conquered by Ferdinand III The Saint, after which the Muslims were expelled from the city and the temple was converted into a Christian cathedral. Despite this, it retains a typical mosque structure, recognisable by elements such as the two-coloured arches and the Maqsura.