| Córdoba | |||
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| - Municipality - | |||
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 Córdoba
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Córdoba
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| Coordinates: 4°46′0″W | |||
| Country |  Spain |
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| Autonomous community |  Andalusia |
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| Province | Córdoba | ||
| Judicial district | Córdoba | ||
| Founded | 169 BC (Roman colony) | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor-council government | ||
| • Body | Ayuntamiento de Córdoba | ||
| • Mayor | José Antonio Nieto Ballesteros (PP) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,255.24 km (484.65 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 120 m (390 ft) | ||
| Population (2008) | |||
| • Total | 325,453 | ||
| • Density | 260/km (670/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym | 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 (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkorðoβa]; Arabic: قُرطبة, DIN: Qurṭubah), also called Cordova in English, is a city in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. An Iberian and Roman city in ancient times, in the Middle Ages it became the capital of an Islamic caliphate. The old town contains numerous architectural reminders of when Corduba was the capital of Hispania Ulterior during the Roman Republic and capital of Hispania Baetica during the Roman Empire; and when Qurṭubah (قرطبة) was the capital of the Islamic 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, 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 on top of the many medical schools and Universities which existed at this time. Such Universities contributed towards developments in mathematics and astronomy. During these centuries Córdoba had become the intellectual centre of Europe and was also noted for its predominantly Muslim society that was tolerant toward its Christian and Jewish minorities. Today it is a moderately-sized modern city; its population in 2011 was 330,033.
| Historic Centre of Córdoba | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
 |
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| Country | Spain |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iii, iv |
| Reference | 313 |
| UNESCO region | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1984 (8th Session) |
| Extensions | 1994 |
The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. 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.
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.
Córdoba was captured in 711 by an Arab/Berber Muslim army. Unlike other Iberian towns, no capitulation was signed and the position was taken by storm. Córdoba was in turn governed by direct Arab rule. The new Arab 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 Muslims, until the former Mosque started to be erected on the same spot under Abd-ar-Rahman I. In May 766, it was chosen as the capital of the independent Arab Muslim emirate of al-Andalus, later a Caliphate itself. During the caliphate apogee (1000 AD), Córdoba had a population of roughly 500,000 inhabitants, 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. The Great Mosque of Córdoba dates back to this time; under caliph Al-Hakam II Córdoba had 3,000 mosques, splendid palaces and 300 public baths, and received what was then the largest library in the world, housing from 400,000 to 1,000,000 volumes.
Reinhardt Dozy wrote:
The fame of Córdoba penetrated even distant Germany: the Saxon nun Hroswitha, famous in the last half of the 10th century for its Latin poems and dramas, called it the Jewel of the World.-Reinhardt Dozy
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. On 29 June 1236, after a siege of several months, it was captured by King Ferdinand III of Castile, during the Spanish Reconquista. 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.
The city is located 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 located 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.
Córdoba has a Subtropical-Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). Córdoba has the highest summer average daily temperatures in Europe (averaging 36.2 °C (97 °F) in July) and days with temperature over 40 °C (104 °F) are common in the summer months. August's 24 hour average of 27.2 °C (81 °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 500 mm, although there is a recognized inter-annual irregularity.
Registered maximum temperatures at the Córdoba Airport (located at 6 km of the city) are 46.6° (23 July 1995) and 46.2° (1 August 2003). The minimum temperature ever recorded was −8.2° (28 January 2005).
| Climate data for Córdoba | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 14.7 (58.5) |
16.9 (62.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
22.1 (71.8) |
26.2 (79.2) |
31.6 (88.9) |
36.2 (97.2) |
35.9 (96.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
25.0 (77) |
18.9 (66) |
15.3 (59.5) |
24.6 (76.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.2 (48.6) |
10.9 (51.6) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.4 (59.7) |
19.0 (66.2) |
23.5 (74.3) |
27.2 (81) |
27.2 (81) |
24.0 (75.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
10.2 (50.4) |
17.6 (63.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
4.9 (40.8) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
11.8 (53.2) |
15.5 (59.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
18.5 (65.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
12.1 (53.8) |
7.6 (45.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
10.7 (51.3) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 64 (2.52) |
53 (2.09) |
40 (1.57) |
61 (2.4) |
34 (1.34) |
17 (0.67) |
3 (0.12) |
3 (0.12) |
24 (0.94) |
62 (2.44) |
85 (3.35) |
89 (3.5) |
536 (21.1) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 56 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 168 | 172 | 212 | 212 | 271 | 312 | 352 | 328 | 241 | 208 | 176 | 148 | 2,800 |
| Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología | |||||||||||||
Albolafia mill, one of the eleven Mills of Guadalquivir in Córdoba
Archaeological site of Cercadilla including the remains of one of Maximian's palaces
Part of the Archaeological site of Medina Azahara
Puerta de Almodóvar
Western wall of the Synagogue of Córdoba
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 the 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 an mosque.
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:
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.
Córdoba has a total of seven bridges, one of which is under construction.
Currently the mayor of Córdoba is Jose Antonio Nieto (PP).
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. The council holds regular plenary session once a month, but often held extraordinary plenary session to discuss issues and problems affecting the city.
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. The municipal council consists of 29 members: 14 of People's Party, 11 of IU and 4 of PSOE.
| 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 |
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 |
Tourism is especially intense in Córdoba during May because of the weather and as this month hosts three festivals.
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 Seville Fair with some differences, mainly that the Seville one is private, while the Cordoba one is not.
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
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.
Córdoba is twinned with:
Córdoba, Argentina, since 1969 A Coruña, Spain, since 1976
Córdoba, Mexico, since 1980
Fes, Morocco, since 1982
Smara, Western Sahara, since 1987
La Habana Vieja, Cuba, since 2000
Damascus, Syria, since 2001
Nuremberg, Germany, since 2010 León, Spain, since 2010
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Manchester, United Kingdom
Bethlehem, Palestine Territory
Adana, Turkey
Derna, Libya
"Cordova". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.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 (...)
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