Countries<Spain<Andalucía [Andalusia]<Córdoba< Ciudad califal de Medina Azahara

Ciudad califal de Medina Azahara(Córdoba)

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Description

This archaeological site includes the majestic remains of the palatial city built in the mid-10th century by the Umayyad dynasty to be the seat of the Caliphate of Córdoba. After a prosperous period of almost 80 years, Medina Azahara was sacked during the civil war of succession in 1009-10 that ended the power of the caliphs. The remains of the city fell into oblivion for more than a thousand years until its rediscovery in the first third of the 20th century. This site includes numerous infrastructures - roads, bridges and hydraulic systems - as well as buildings, decorative elements and objects of daily use that provide further insight into the period of maximum splendour of the vanished western Islamic civilisation of al-Andalus.

The Caliphate city of Medina Azahara is an archaeological site of a newly founded city built in the mid-10th century by the western Umayyad dynasty as the seat of the Caliphate of Córdoba. The city was destroyed shortly afterwards, and from then on remained hidden until its rediscovery in the early 20th century.

The site is a complete urban complex that includes infrastructure, buildings, decoration and everyday objects, and provides a deep insight into the material culture of the Islamic civilisation of Al-Andalus at the height of its splendour, but which has now disappeared. In addition, the landscape features that influenced the location of the city are preserved.

The hidden nature of the site over a long period has contributed to its preservation and it has not been reconstructed or altered at that time. Rediscovery has led to excavation, protection and conservation that has continued for a century, promoted by public institutions.

Image of Ciudad califal de Medina Azahara