Córdoba, Andalusia

For other uses, see Córdoba.
Córdoba
Municipality

View of the Roman bridge and the city of Córdoba

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Coat of arms
Córdoba

Location in Andalusia

Córdoba

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 37°53′0″N 4°46′0″W / 37.88333°N 4.76667°W / 37.88333; -4.76667
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Andalusia
Province Córdoba
Comarca Córdoba
Judicial district Córdoba
Government
 • Type Mayor-council government
 • Body Ayuntamiento de Córdoba
 • Mayor Isabel Ambrosio Palos (PSOE)
Area
 • Total 1,255.24 km2 (484.65 sq mi)
Elevation 120 m (390 ft)
Population (2008)
 • Total 325,453
 • Density 260/km2 (670/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Cordobés/sa, cordobense, cortubí, patriciense
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 14001–14014
Official language(s) Spanish
Website Official website

Córdoba (/ˈkɔːrdəbə/, Spanish: [ˈkoɾðoβa]),[1] also called Cordova (/ˈkɔːrdəvə/) in English,[2] is a city in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. It was conquered by invading Islamic armies in the eighth century, and then became the capital of the Islamic Emirate and then Caliphate of Córdoba, including most of the Iberian Peninsula.

It has been estimated that in the 10th century Córdoba was the most populous city in the world,[3] and under the rule of Caliph Al Hakam II it had also become a centre for education under its Islamic rulers. Al Hakam II opened many libraries in addition to the many medical schools and universities which existed at this time. During these centuries Córdoba became a predominantly Muslim society with minorities living in a restricted second-class status. It returned to Christian rule in 1236, during the Reconquista. Today it is a moderately sized modern city; its population in 2011 was about 330,000.[4] The historic centre was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Córdoba has the warmest summer high temperatures in Spain and Europe with average high temperatures around 37 °C (99 °F) in July and similar heat in August.[5]

History

Prehistory and antiquity

The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 42,000 to 35,000 BC[6] In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy. The first historical mention of a settlement dates, however, to the Carthaginian expansion across the Guadalquivir, when the general Hamilcar Barca renamed it Kartuba, from Kart-Juba, meaning "the City of Juba", the latter being a Numidian commander who had died in a battle nearby. Córdoba was conquered by the Romans in 206 BC. In 169 the Roman consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus founded a Latin colony alongside the pre-existing Iberian settlement. Between 143 and 141 BC the town was besieged by Viriatus. A Roman Forum is known to have existed in the city in 113 BC. The famous Cordoba Treasure, which mixes local and Roman artistic traditions, was buried in the city at this time. It can now be found in the collections of the British Museum.

At the time of Julius Caesar, Córdoba was the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Ulterior Baetica. Great Roman philosophers such as Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, orators such as Seneca the Elder and poets such as Lucan came from Roman Cordoba. Later, it occupied an important place in the Provincia Hispaniae of the Byzantine Empire (552–572) and under the Visigoths, who conquered it in the late 6th century.

Islamic rule

Córdoba was captured in 711[7] by a Moorish army. Unlike other Iberian towns, no capitulation was signed and the position was taken by storm. Córdoba was in turn governed by direct Moorish rule. The new Moorish commanders established themselves within the city and in 716 it became a provincial capital, subordinate to the Caliphate of Damascus; in Arabic it was known as قرطبة (Qurṭubah).

Different areas were allocated for the services in the Saint Vincent Church shared by Christian and Moors, until the former Mosque started to be erected on the same spot under Abd-ar-Rahman I. Abd al-Rahman allowed the Christians to rebuild their ruined churches and purchased the Christian half of the church of St Vincent. In May 766, it was chosen as the capital of the independent Muslim emirate of al-Andalus, later a Caliphate itself. During the caliphate apogee (1000 AD), Córdoba had a population of roughly 500,000 inhabitants,[8] though estimates range between 350,000 and 1,000,000. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Córdoba was one of the most advanced cities in the world as well as a great cultural, political, financial and economic centre.[9] The Great Mosque of Córdoba dates back to this time. Upon a change of rulers, though, the situation changed quickly. "The vizier al-Mansur–the unofficial ruler of al-Andalus from 976 to 1002—burned most of the books on philosophy to please the Moorish clergy; most of the others were sold off or perished in the civil strife not long after.[10]

Reinhardt Dozy wrote:[11]

The fame of Córdoba penetrated even distant Germany: the Saxon nun Hroswitha, famous in the last half of the 10th century for her Latin poems and dramas, called it the Ornament of the World.
— Reinhardt Dozy

Roger Collins wrote:[12]

The Arab conquest created the conditions for a state of almost permanent warfare in the Iberian Peninsula ... and in scale and intensity exceeded anything to be found elsewhere in Western Europe in these centuries.
— Roger Collins in "Caliphs and Kings: Spain, 796-1031"

However, following al-Mansur's death, internal struggle for power between different factions led to the pillage and destruction of Medina Azahara and other splendid buildings of Córdoba. The city fell into a steady decline in the next decades and after the fall of the caliphate (1031), Córdoba became the capital of a Republican independent taifa. This short-lived state was conquered by Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, lord of Seville, in 1070. In turn, the latter was overthrown by the Almoravids, who were later replaced by the Almohads.

During the latter's domination the city declined, the role of the capital of Muslim al-Andalus having been given to Seville.

Modern history

During the Spanish Reconquista, Córdoba was captured by King Ferdinand III of Castile on 29 June 1236, after a siege of several months. The city was divided into 14 colaciones, and numerous new church buildings were added.

The city declined, especially after Renaissance times. In the 18th century it was reduced to just 20,000 inhabitants. The population and economy started to increase only in the early 20th century.

With the most extensive historical heritages in the world declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO (on 17 December 1984), the city also features a number of modern areas, including the districts of Zoco and the railway station district.

The regional government (the Junta de Andalucía) has for some time been studying the creation of a Córdoba Metropolitan Area that would comprise, in addition to the capital itself, the towns of Villafranca de Córdoba, Obejo, La Carlota, Villaharta, Villaviciosa, Almodóvar del Río and Guadalcázar. The combined population of such an area would be around 351,000.

Geography

The city is on the banks of the Guadalquivir river, and its easy access to the mining resources of the Sierra Morena (coal, lead, zinc) satisfies the population’s needs.

The city is in a depression of the valley of the Guadalquivir. In the north is the Sierra Morena, which defines the borders of the municipal area.

Córdoba is one of the few cities in the world that has a near-exact antipodal city – Hamilton, New Zealand.

Climate

Córdoba has a Subtropical-Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa).[13] Córdoba has the highest summer average daily temperatures in Europe (averaging 36.9 °C (98 °F) in July) and days with temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) are common in the summer months. August's 24 hour average of 28.0 °C (82 °F) is also among the highest in Europe, despite having relatively cool nightly temperatures.

Winters are mild with isolated frosts. Precipitation is concentrated in the coldest months; this is due to the Atlantic coastal influence. Precipitation is generated by storms from the west that occur most frequently from December through February. This Atlantic characteristic then gives way to a hot summer with significant drought more typical of Mediterranean climates. Annual rain surpasses 600 mm (24 in), although there is a recognized inter-annual irregularity.

Registered maximum temperatures at the Córdoba Airport (located at 6 kilometres (4 miles) of the city) are 46.6 °C (115.9 °F) (23 July 1995) and 46.2 °C (115.2 °F) (1 August 2003). The minimum temperature ever recorded was −8.2 °C (17.2 °F) (28 January 2005).[14]

Climate data for Córdoba (1981-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 22.9
(73.2)		 27.8
(82)		 33.0
(91.4)		 34.0
(93.2)		 41.2
(106.2)		 45.0
(113)		 46.6
(115.9)		 46.2
(115.2)		 43.8
(110.8)		 36.0
(96.8)		 29.7
(85.5)		 23.5
(74.3)		 46.6
(115.9)
Average high °C (°F) 14.9
(58.8)		 17.4
(63.3)		 21.3
(70.3)		 22.8
(73)		 27.4
(81.3)		 32.8
(91)		 36.9
(98.4)		 36.5
(97.7)		 31.6
(88.9)		 25.1
(77.2)		 19.1
(66.4)		 15.3
(59.5)		 25.1
(77.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7)		 11.1
(52)		 14.4
(57.9)		 16.0
(60.8)		 20.0
(68)		 24.7
(76.5)		 28.0
(82.4)		 28.0
(82.4)		 24.2
(75.6)		 19.1
(66.4)		 13.5
(56.3)		 10.4
(50.7)		 18.2
(64.8)
Average low °C (°F) 3.6
(38.5)		 4.9
(40.8)		 7.4
(45.3)		 9.3
(48.7)		 12.6
(54.7)		 16.5
(61.7)		 19.0
(66.2)		 19.4
(66.9)		 16.9
(62.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 7.8
(46)		 5.5
(41.9)		 11.4
(52.5)
Record low °C (°F) −8.2
(17.2)		 −5.0
(23)		 −4.2
(24.4)		 0.2
(32.4)		 2.4
(36.3)		 7.0
(44.6)		 11.0
(51.8)		 11.0
(51.8)		 6.0
(42.8)		 1.0
(33.8)		 −3.6
(25.5)		 −7.8
(18)		 −8.2
(17.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 66
(2.6)		 55
(2.17)		 49
(1.93)		 55
(2.17)		 40
(1.57)		 13
(0.51)		 2
(0.08)		 5
(0.2)		 35
(1.38)		 86
(3.39)		 80
(3.15)		 111
(4.37)		 605
(23.82)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 7 6 5 7 5 1 0 1 3 7 6 8 57
Average relative humidity (%) 76 71 64 60 55 48 41 43 52 66 73 79 60
Mean monthly sunshine hours 174 186 218 235 289 323 363 336 248 205 180 148 2,905
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[15]

Main sights

Historic architecture

Roman Mausoleum in the Paseo de la Victoria.
Interior of the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba.
Calleja de las Flores, with the Great Cathedral in the background.

Córdoba has the second largest Old town in Europe, the largest urban area in the world declared World Heritage by UNESCO. The most important building and symbol of the city, the Great Mosque of Córdoba and current cathedral, alongside the Roman bridge, are the best known facet of the city. Other Roman remains include the Roman Temple, the Theatre, Mausoleum, the Colonial Forum, the Forum Adiectum, an amphitheater and the remains of the Palace of the Emperor Maximian in the Archaeological site of Cercadilla, among others.

Near the cathedral is the old Jewish quarter, which consists of many irregular streets, such as Calleja de las Flores and Calleja del Pañuelo, and which is home to the Synagogue and the Sephardic House. In the extreme southwest of the Old Town is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a former royal property and the seat of the Inquisition; adjacent to it are the Royal Stables, a breeding place of the Andalusian horse. Near the stables are located, along the walls, the medieval Baths of the Caliphate. In the south of the Old town and east of the great cathedral, in the Plaza del Potro, is the Posada del Potro, a row of inns mentioned in literary works such as Don Quixote and La Feria de los Discretos and which remained active until 1972. Both the plaza and the inn get their name from the fountain in the centre of the plaza, which represents a foal. Not far from this plaza is the Arco del Portillo (a 14th-century arch).

Along the banks of the Guadalquivir are the Mills of the Guadalquivir, moorish era buildings that took advantage of the water force to grind flour. They include the Albolafia, Alegría, Carbonell, Casillas, Enmedio, Lope García, Martos, Pápalo, San Antonio, San Lorenzo and San Rafael mills.

Surrounding the large Old town are the Roman walls: gates include the Puerta de Almodóvar, the Puerta de Sevilla and Puerta del Puente, which are the only three gates remaining from the original thirteen. Towers and fortresses include the Malmuerta Tower, the Belén Tower and the Puerta del Rincón's Tower, and the fortress of the Calahorra Tower and of the Donceles Tower.

Palace buildings in the Old Town include the Palacio de Viana (14th century) and the Palacio de la Merced among others. On the outskirts of the city lies the Archaeological site of the city of Medina Azahara, which, together with the Alhambra in Granada, is one of the main Spanish-Muslim architectures in Spain.

Other sights are the Cuesta del Bailío (a staircase connecting the upper and lower part of the city) and the Minaret of San Juan, once part of a mosque.

Fernandine churches

The city is home to 12 Christian churches that were built (many as transformations of mosques) by Ferdinand III of Castile after the reconquest of the city in the 13th century. They were to act both as churches and as the administrative centres in the neighborhoods into which the city was divided in medieval times. Some of those that remain are:

Iglesia de Santa Marina de Aguas Santas, built in the 13th century.

Other religious structures

Main façade of the Iglesia de San Hipólito.

Sculptures and memorials

Scattered throughout the city are ten statues of Archangel Raphael, protector and custodian of the city. These are called Triumphs of Saint Raphael and are located in landmarks such as the Roman Bridge, the Puerta del Puente and the Plaza del Potro.

In the western part of the Historic Centre are the statue to Seneca (near the Puerta de Almodóvar, a gate of Islamic ordigina), the Statue of Averroes (next to the Puerta de la Luna), and Maimonides (in the plaza de Tiberiades). Further south, near the Puerta de Sevilla, are the sculpture to the poet Ibn Zaydún and the sculpture of the writer and poet Ibn Hazm and, inside the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, the monument to the Catholic Monarchs and Christopher Columbus.

There are also several sculptures placed in plazas of the Old Town. In the central Plaza de las Tendillas is the equestrian statue of the Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, in the Plaza de Capuchinos is the Cristo de los Faroles, in Plaza de la Trinidad is the statue of Luis de Góngora, in the Plaza del Cardenal Salazar is the bust of Ahmad ibn Muhammad abu Yafar al-Gafiqi, in the Plaza de Capuchinas is the statue to the bishop Osio, in Plaza del Conde de Priego is the monument to Manolete and the Campo Santo de los Mártires is a statue to Al-Hakam II and the monument to the lovers.

In the Jardines de la Agricultura is the monument to the painter Julio Romero de Torres, a bust by sculptor Mateo Inurria, the bust of the poet Julio Aumente and the sculpture dedicated to the gardener Aniceto García Roldán, who was killed in the park. Further south, in the Gardens of the Duke of Rivas, is a statue of the writer and poet Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas made by the sculptor Mariano Benlliure.

In the Guadalquivir river, near the San Rafael Bridge is the Island of the sculptures, an artificial island with a dozen stone sculptures executed during the International Sculpture Symposium. Up the river, near the Miraflores bridge, is the "Hombre Río", a sculpture of a swimmer looking to the sky and whose orientation varies depending from the current.

Gardens, parks and natural environments

Parque de Miraflores. In the background is the sculpture entitled "Salam".
Paseo de Córdoba.
Fuente de los Jardines de Colón.
Gardens of the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos.

Bridges

Córdoba has a total of seven bridges.

The Tower of Calahorra to one side of the Roman Bridge.

Politics and government

Puerta del Puente.
Former Royal Hospital San Sebastián, now Congress hall of Córdoba.
Local administration

Currently the mayor of Córdoba is Isabel Ambrosio (PSOE).

The City Council of Córdoba is divided into different areas: the Presidency, Security, Mobility, Equality and Participation; the Planning, Housing, Infrastructure and Environment; the Economy, Trade, Employment and Management; the Social; the Cultural Services and Tourism.[21] The council holds regular plenary session once a month, but often held extraordinary plenary session to discuss issues and problems affecting the city.[22]

The Governing Board, chaired by the mayor, consists of five councillors of United Left (IU), two councilors of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and other three members not elected.[23][24] The municipal council consists of 29 members: 14 of People's Party, 11 of IU and 4 of PSOE.

List of mayors since the democratic elections of 1979
Legislature Name Party
1979–1983 Julio Anguita PCE
1983–1987 Julio Anguita (until February 1, 1986)
Herminio Trigo 		PCE(IU)
1987–1991 Herminio Trigo IU
1991–1995 Herminio Trigo IU
Manuel Pérez Pérez IU
1995–1999 Rafael Merino PP
1999–2003 Rosa Aguilar IU
2003–2007 Rosa Aguilar IU
2007–2011 Rosa Aguilar (until April 23, 2009)
Andrés Ocaña 		IU
2011–2015 José Antonio Nieto Ballesteros PP
2015 Isabel Ambrosio Palos PSOE-IU-Ganemos Córdoba
Administrative division

Since July 2008, the city is divided into 10 administrative districts, coordinated by the Municipal district boards, which in turn are subdivided into neighbourhoods

District District Location
Centro Poniente-Sur
Levante Sur
Noroeste Sureste
Norte-Sierra Periurbano Este-Campiña
Poniente-Norte Periurbano Oeste-Sierra

Museums

Theatres

May celebrations

Tourism is especially intense in Córdoba during May because of the weather and as this month hosts three festivals.[25]

The May Crosses Festival takes place at the beginning of the month. During three or four days, crosses of around 3 m height are placed in many squares and streets and decorated with flowers and a contest is held to choose the most beautiful one. Usually there is regional food and music near the crosses.

The Patios Festival is celebrated during the second and third week of the month. Many houses of the historic centre open their private patios to the public and compete in a contest. Both the architectonic value and the floral decorations are taken into consideration to choose the winners. It is usually very difficult and expensive to find accommodation in the city during the festival.

Córdoba's Fair takes place at the ending of the month and is similar to the better known Sevilla Fair with some differences, mainly that the Sevilla one is private, while the Cordoba one is not.

People

Patio de los naranjos of the Great Mosque.

Córdoba was the birthplace of the following philosophers and religious scholars:

Córdoba was also the birthplace of

The Renaissance philosopher Abraham Cohen de Herrera and the Jewish mystic Moses ben Jacob Cordovero both descended from families which lived in Córdoba before the expulsion of the Jews from Spain.

The painter Julio Romero de Torres (1874–1930).

More recently, several flamenco artists were born here as well, including

Also recently

Transport

The city is connected by high speed trains to the following Spanish cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Málaga and Zaragoza. More than 20 trains per day connect the downtown area, in 54 minutes, with Málaga María Zambrano station, which provides interchange capability to destinations along the Costa del Sol, including Málaga Airport. The city is also well connected by highways with the rest of the country and Portugal.

Twin towns – sister cities

Córdoba is twinned with:[26]

References

  1. ↑ Former name: Arabic: قُرطبة‎, DIN: Qurṭubah.
  2. ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica, Córdoba (conventional Cordova)
  3. ↑ "Largest Cities Through History". Geography.about.com. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  4. ↑ "Statistics 2011 (Spanish)". http://www.ayuncordoba.es. External link in |work= (help)
  5. ↑ "Standard climate values for Córdoba". Agencia Estatal de Meteorología. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Neanderthals Died Out Earlier Than Thought". Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "Córdoba History". Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  8. ↑ J. Bradford De Long and Andrei Shleifer (October 1993), "Princes and Merchants: European City Growth before the Industrial Revolution", The Journal of Law and Economics (University of Chicago Press) 36 (2): 671–702 [678], doi:10.1086/467294
  9. ↑  Gilman, D. C.; Thurston, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Cordova". New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
  10. ↑ http://www.spainthenandnow.com/spanish-history/cordoba-historical-overview/default_41.aspx
  11. ↑ "Spain from the 6th to 12th Century History". Archived from the original on 18 October 2007.
  12. ↑ Roger Collins, Caliphs and Kings: Spain, 796-1031, ISBN 978-0-631-18184-2
  13. ↑ M. Kottek; J. Grieser; C. Beck; B. Rudolf; F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated". Meteorol. Z. 15: 259–263. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Valores climatológicos extremos. Córdoba" (in Spanish). Aemet.es. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  15. ↑ "Valores Climatológicos Normales. Córdoba / Aeropuerto".
  16. ↑ "Discovery of a Roman Circus in Cordoba". Artencordoba.co.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  17. ↑ Parque Cruz Conde Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ El parque de La Asomadilla se inicia con la apertura de pozos, Diario Córdoba website.
  19. ↑ Los Sotos de la Albolafia, Inventario de Humedales de Andalucía.
  20. ↑ "Projects of Santiago Calatrava". Soloarquitectura.com. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  21. ↑ Municipal Organizational of the areas of the City Council of Cordoba Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ Organic Regulations of the plenary of the City Council of Córdoba
    Art.° 47.- Regular Meetings.- The Plenary holds a regular meetings once a month, on the date and time is decided by agreement of the plenary (...)
    Archived 27 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ Local governing board of the City Council of Córdoba, official website of the City Council of Córdoba Archived 3 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ↑ Municipal Elections 2007 in Córdoba: Cargos en la Corporación Municipal – Article of Cordobapedia published in Castilian, GFDL license.
  25. ↑ "Mayocordobes.es". Mayocordobes.es. 15 November 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  26. ↑ "Hermanamientos". Ayuncordoba.es. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  27. ↑ "Pesquisa de Legislação Municipal - No 14471" [Research Municipal Legislation - No 14471]. Prefeitura da Cidade de São Paulo [Municipality of the City of São Paulo] (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  28. ↑ Lei Municipal de São Paulo 14471 de 2007 WikiSource (Portuguese)

Further reading

Published in the 19th century
Published in the 20th century
Published in the 21st century

External links

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