The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Spanish for "Castle of the Christian Monarchs"), also known as the Alcázar of Córdoba, is a medieval ''

alcázar An ''alcázar'', from Arabic ''al-Qasr'', is a type of Islamic castle or palace in Spain built during Al-Andalus, Muslim rule between the 8th and 15th centuries. They functioned as homes and regional capitals for governmental figures throughout ...

'' () located in the historic centre of Córdoba (in

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

), next to the Guadalquivir River and near the Mosque-Cathedral. The

fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...

served as one of the primary residences of

Isabella I of Castile Isabella I (; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''Isabel la Católica''), was Queen of Castile and List of Leonese monarchs, León from 1474 until her death in 1504. She was also Queen of Aragon ...

and

Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II, also known as Ferdinand I, Ferdinand III, and Ferdinand V (10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), called Ferdinand the Catholic, was King of Aragon from 1479 until his death in 1516. As the husband and co-ruler of Queen Isabella I of ...

. It is a building of military character whose construction was ordered by the King

Alfonso XI of Castile Alfonso XI (11 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ...

in the year 1328, on previous constructions (the Islamic-era Umayyad Alcázar, also the previous residence of the Roman Governor and the Customs). The architectural ensemble has a sober character in its exterior and splendid in its interior, with the magnificent gardens and courtyards that maintain a

Mudéjar Mudéjar were Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period following the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for Mudéjar art, which was greatly influenced by Islamic art, but produced typically by Christian craftsmen for C ...

inspiration. The Alcázar has been declared a Cultural Interest Heritage since 1931. It forms part of the Historic Center of Córdoba that was declared a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

in 1994.

History

In early medieval times, the site was occupied by a

Visigothic The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied barbarian military group united under the comman ...

fortress. When the Visigoths fell to the

Umayyad conquest of Hispania The Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula (; 711–720s), also known as the Arab conquest of Spain, was the Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad conquest of the Visigothic Kingdom, Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania in the early 8th century. The conquest re ...

and the beginning of

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...

, the governors appointed by the

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member o ...

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

established themselves in the same area. The Umayyads fell to the

Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes ...

and the surviving member of the Umayyad Dynasty, Abd ar-Rahman I, fled to Córdoba and established the Umayyad Emirate. Abd ar-Rahman I and his successors, who eventually created the independent

Caliphate of Córdoba A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

, were responsible for the construction of the Alcázar which became the official residence and seat of power of Al-Andalus. The city subsequently flourished as a key political and cultural center, and the Alcázar was expanded into a very large and widely used area with baths, gardens, and the largest library in the West.

Watermills A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production of ...

on the nearby Guadalquivir powered water lifting to irrigate the extensive gardens. The palace complex was also equipped with a bathhouse (''hammam''), known today as the

Caliphal Baths The Caliphal Baths are an Turkish bath, Islamic bathhouse (or Arab baths) complex in Córdoba, Spain, Córdoba, Spain. They are situated in the historic centre of Córdoba, historic centre which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994 ...

(''Baños Califales''), which dates from the reign of al-Hakam II and was later expanded under the

Almohads The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...

(12th to early 13th century). In the 10th century the official seat of government was moved to the site of Madinat al-Zahara outside the city, but this site was in turn ruined during the collapse of the caliphate in the early 11th century, causing the local seat of government to return to the Alcázar. In 1236, Christian forces took Córdoba during the

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

. In 1328,

began building the present day structure on part of the site for the old fortress. Other parts of the Moorish Alcázar had been given as spoils to the bishop, nobles, and the

Order of Calatrava The Order of Calatrava (, ) was one of the Spanish military orders, four Spanish military orders and the first Military order (society), military order founded in Kingdom of Castile, Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bu ...

. Alfonso's structure retained only part of the Moorish ruins but the structure appears Islamic due to Alfonso's use of the

style. The Alcázar was involved in the civil war where

Henry IV of Castile Henry IV of Castile (Spanish language, Castilian: ''Enrique IV''; 5 January 1425 – 11 December 1474), nicknamed the Impotent, was King of Kingdom of Castile, Castile and Kingdom of León, León and the last of the weak late-medieval kings of Ca ...

faced a rebellion that backed his teenage half-brother Alfonso the Innocent. During the war, the Alcázar's defenses were upgraded to deal with the advent of

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...

. At the same time, the Alcázar's main tower, now known as the "Tower of the Inquisition" was constructed. Henry's successor, Isabella and her husband Ferdinand, used the Alcázar for one of the first permanent tribunals of the

Spanish Inquisition The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition () was established in 1478 by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile and lasted until 1834. It began toward the end of ...

and as a headquarters for their campaign against the

Nasrid dynasty The Nasrid dynasty ( ''banū Naṣr'' or ''banū al-Aḥmar''; ) was an Arab dynasty that ruled the Emirate of Granada from 1232 to 1492. It was the last Muslim dynasty in the Iberian Peninsula. Twenty-three sultans ruled Granada from the foun ...

Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...

, the last remaining Moorish kingdom in the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

. The Inquisition began using the Alcázar as one of its headquarters in 1482, converting much of it, including the Arab baths, into torture and interrogation chambers. The Inquisition maintained a tribunal here for three centuries. Boabdil was held prisoner here in 1483 until he promised to make Granada a tributary state. In 1486 or 1487,

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

had his first audience here with the

Catholic Monarchs The Catholic Monarchs were Isabella I of Castile, Queen Isabella I of Crown of Castile, Castile () and Ferdinand II of Aragon, King Ferdinand II of Crown of Aragón, Aragon (), whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of ...

( Isabella and

Ferdinand Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...

) to solicit support for his expedition to find a western sea route to Asia. The monarchs retained his service by placing him on their payroll, but did not endorse his expedition until after the

conquest of Granada The Granada War was a series of military campaigns between 1482 and 1492 during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, against the Nasrid dynasty's Emirate of Granada. It ended with the defeat of G ...

in 1492. The Alcázar served as a garrison for

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

's troops in 1810. In 1821, the Alcázar became a prison. Finally, the Spanish government made the Alcázar a tourist attraction and national monument in the 1950s. The Alcázar's grand gardens, in their current form, also date from the mid-20th century.

Exterior

File:Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. Torre del Homenaje (25877275806).jpg, Tower of Homage File:Cordoba Capital - 169 (30593285582).jpg, Tower of the Lions File:Alcazares de los Reyes Cristianos Cordoba.jpg, Tower of the Inquisition File:South Wall of Córdoba Alcázar - 2013.07 - panoramio.jpg, Tower of the Dove (left)

Towers

The outdoor area of the Alcázar is situated within the walls of the four towers (Paloma, Leones, Homenaje and Inquisición), this creating an almost square shape to the building. *Tower of Homage (''La torre del Homenaje''), of octagonal shape, is situated in the Northeast corner. The tower was previously known as ‘The Clock Tower’ (Torre del Reloj), owing its name to the clock that was previously housed within. The interior has Gothic features including an

ogival An ogive ( ) is the roundly tapered end of a two- or three-dimensional object. Ogive curves and surfaces are used in engineering, architecture, woodworking, and ballistics. Etymology The French Orientalist Georges Séraphin Colin gives as ...

ceiling. *Tower of the Lions (''La torre de los Leones''), of square shape, is situated in the Northwest corner. The door to the base of this tower is currently used as the visitor entrance to the Alcázar. It is the longest standing tower, dating back to the 13th Century, and is named after gargoyles in the shape of lions which are found on the uppermost section of the tower. Within the tower there are two floors; the ground floor, where the reception can be found, and the upper level which accommodates the Chapel of San Eustaquio (La capilla de San Eustaquio), which served as the chapel to the Catholic Monarchs. *Tower of the inquisition (''La torre de la Inquisición''), of circular shape, is situated in the Southwest corner. It receives its name from the fact that, for centuries, it housed the archives of the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition (Tribunal de la Santa Inquisition). It was also known as the ‘Tower of the Gardens’ (Torre de los Jardines’). *Tower of the Dove (''La torre de la Paloma''), of square shape, is situated in the Southeast corner. The original tower was demolished in the mid-19th century, the current tower being a reconstruction which dates back to the second half of the 20th century. It was also known as ‘The Watch Tower’ (Torre de la Vela).

Interior

File:Salón de los Mosaicos - Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos.jpg, Hall of Mosaics File:Córdoba Spain (13899610132).jpg, Courtyard of the Moriscos File:Patio de las mujeres - Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos.jpg, Courtyard of the Women File:WLM14ES - 16102009 122744 CRDB 0604 - .jpg, Reception Hall File:WLM14ES - 16102009 124547 CRDB 0646 - .jpg, Royal Baths of Doña Leonor

Hall of Mosaics ''(Salón de los Mosaicos) ''

The main hall of the building, constructed in the 18th century, is referred to as the “Hall of Mosaics”, given the impressive Mosaics that can be found within the hall. The mosaics on show were discovered at the Corredera Square (Plaza de la Corredera) towards the end of the 1950s and formed part of the Roman Circus, as well as a

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...

from the 3rd Century. The hall is currently a highly sought after civil marriage location by many Cordoban citizens. Beneath the current floor of the hall, it is still possible to discover the remains of which are believed to be from the Royal Baths which were used by high dignitaries during the Muslim era.

Courtyard of the Moriscos ''(Patio Morisco)''

The courtyard of the Moriscos, also known as the Mudejar Courtyard, is situated to the western side of the Alcázar. Taking on a square floor plan, it is surrounded by arched verandas with the exception of its western face. The western face of the patio is where the wall that connects the Tower of the Lions and the Tower of the Inquisition is found, and also through which the Gardens of the Alcázar (Jardines del Alcázar) can be accessed. The patio is centred by a water fountain which sits in-between two ponds.

Courtyard of the Women ''(Patio de las mujeres)''

The courtyard of the Women, also known as the eastern courtyard, is situated to the eastern side of the Alcázar. It owes its name to the era during which the Alcázar was used as a prison, with this courtyard being the location where the feminine section of the prison was located. Many archaeological remains from the different constructive phases of the Alcázar are found in this courtyard, as well as remains of former buildings, the Roman castellum and the Andalusian Alcázar.

Reception Hall ''(Sala de recepciones)''

The reception hall, also known as the Ocean Hall, is a room of square plan which is situated beside the Hall of Mosaics. Incrusted in one of the walls is a Roman mosaic, dedicated to the God

Oceanus In Greek mythology, Oceanus ( ; , also , , or ) was a Titans, Titan son of Uranus (mythology), Uranus and Gaia, the husband of his sister the Titan Tethys (mythology), Tethys, and the father of the River gods (Greek mythology), river gods ...

. Also within the hall are found some seats of honor of the ancient chapter choir which date back to the 17th Century.

Royal Baths of Doña Leonor (''Baños reales de Doña Leonor'')

The Royal Baths were constructed in 1328 by King Alfonso the 11th. They were structured into four rooms: the changing room, the cold room, the temperate room and the hot room. They owe their name to Leonor de Guzmán, the King's mistress, in whose honour the Royal Baths were constructed.

Gardens of the Alcázar ''(Jardines del Alcázar)''

A set of

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

s and

orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit tree, fruit- or nut (fruit), nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also so ...

s have existed in this area since at least the 10th century when Abd ar-Rahman III constructed an aqueduct to bring water from the nearby Albolafia waterwheel (or '' noria''). The gardens have been neglected or renewed at various times since then. In the late 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century Queen Isabella I ordered the waterwheel's operation to be halted, and they went into a general decline. The current gardens date from a major remodeling around the mid-20th century, while at the same time the area of gardens was reduced in size due to the construction of the ''Avenue del Alcázar'' road on its southeast side. Today the gardens consist of an impressive area of approximately 55,000 m² of magnificent gardens with forest species including

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae ** List of Arecaceae genera **Palm oil * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music ...

cypress Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs from the ''Cupressus'' genus of the '' Cupressaceae'' family, typically found in temperate climates and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. The word ''cypress'' ...

, orange and lemon trees, which surround a number of elegant fountains and ponds. The gardens are structured on three levels: the Higher Garden, the Middle Garden and the Lower Garden. The Higher Garden occupies a space between the Tower of the Lions and the Royal Stables (''Caballerizas Reales''). The Middle Garden is located on its southeast side and stretches along the castle wall that separates the gardens from the Courtyard of the Moriscos. It is reached from a grand staircase and includes two large pools. The Lower Garden occupies a much larger area to the southeast, including three elongated pools lined with flowers and trees and other manicured gardens beyond. The Lower Garden also includes the King's Avenue or Promenade of Kings (''Paseo de los Reyes''), an avenue bordered by lines of cylindrical cypress trees and divided into two paths by two narrow ponds. On this walk, there are several sculptures of the kings who built the Alcázar, which are located on pedestals aligned between the hedges. One sculpture represents Christopher Columbus with Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, commemorating Columbus's first meeting with the Catholic Monarchs which took place in the Alcázar. File:Alcazar Gardens (21289686511).jpg, General view of the gardens from the Tower of the Lions File:Córdoba (9362954154).jpg, The Higher Garden File:Córdoba (9362972832).jpg, The pools of the Middle Garden File:Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (14312908866).jpg, The pools of the Lower Garden, looking back towards the castle File:Gardens of the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos - Córdoba, Spain.jpg, Other manicured gardens in the Lower Garden File:Gardens of Córdoba Alcázar - 2013.07 - panoramio.jpg, The Promenade of Kings File:Jardins Alcazar reyes cristianos 3.jpg, Statues of the

and

at the Promenade of Kings

Notes

References

External links

Córdoba Royal Fortress - Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos Buildings and structures in Córdoba, Spain Historic centre of Córdoba, Spain Reyes Cristianos Buildings and structures completed in the 14th century Royal residences in Spain Castles in Andalusia Defunct prisons in Spain Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of Córdoba (Spain) Military history of Córdoba, Spain