CATHEDRAL OF CÓRDOBA AND JEWISH QUARTER

Our visit will begin around mid-morning with a stroll through the ancient Jewish quarter of Córdoba, one of the most charming and historic areas of the city. Its narrow streets will lead us to the medieval Synagogue of Córdoba, one of the best-preserved in Spain.

The neighborhood also houses one of the Mudéjar gems of the country: the Chapel of San Bartolomé. The city was home to the philosopher and physician Averroes, the Roman philosopher and politician Seneca the Younger, and the Sephardi scientist Maimonides too. Córdoba remembers these three prominent men with their respective monuments in the ancient Jewish quarter.

Our stroll will continue with a visit to the unmistakable Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Before entering its astonishing interior, the Patio de los Naranjos (Court of the Oranges) will welcome us. The building integrates parts of the ancient mosque of Abd al Rahman I, along with its expansions, extending to the 16th-century Christian cathedral. Thus, it becomes a clear example of the history of Córdoba, Al-Andalus, and Christian Spain.

After the Reconquista in 1236, the mosque was converted into a Christian cathedral, and some modifications were made, such as the construction of a cathedral in the center of the structure. This has created a unique fusion of Islamic and Christian architectural styles.

The monumental ensemble of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. It is considered one of the most relevant elements of Andalusian architecture and the most emblematic of Hispano-Muslim Umayyad art.

Greca Tip: Judería is the traditional name for the Jewish quarter, or the part of a city where Jewish homes were concentrated. In some cases, it was legally designated as the exclusive residence for members of that community.