Church of San Lorenzo: Location.
The medieval construction of the Alcázar was almost entirely destroyed after the building was adapted into a prison in the 19th century. It is an exceptional example of a distinctly Muslim layout, of the Moorish type, rectangular, known in Christian Andalusia thanks to the Almoravids. Its corridors form a central cross, at the intersection of which stands a domed fountain with a spout. At both ends, on the shorter sides of the rectangle, there are two shallow pools with small stairways and water spillways.
The Layout of the Moorish Courtyard
The layout of the Moorish Courtyard allows for up to four garden plots, lower in height than the corridors. In each section, one can find orange trees, lemon trees, pomegranate trees, laurel… gardens with a marked Eastern influence coming from Persia. It is believed that the plantings were created and brought by locals, probably advised and directed by Muslims from Granada or Seville.
Decoration and Architectural Elements
Attached to walls and old rooms runs a stucco baseboard decorated with two different types of geometric patterns and Arab latticework, using only red, black, and ochre. The main motifs are the coats of arms of León and Castile.
Architecture and Boundaries of the Courtyard
On the east side of the Moorish Courtyard, it borders the building constructed in the 19th century to provide the prison with suitable cells. On the north side stands a façade with a long vaulted gallery, visible from the outside with semicircular arches.
The western side of the courtyard is bordered by a crenellated wall that connects the Towers of the Lions and the Inquisition. On the wall, a sealed access opening can be seen, featuring an arch of Arab descent, slightly pointed, as well as a large gate that connects to the gardens of the Alcázar.
Archaeological Remains
A small column is preserved in the courtyard, found during the excavation carried out in 1951. It commemorates the ancient Roman buildings located beneath these grounds, such as the Customs House or the Palaces of the Procurator and the Quaestor. On the column, the base, part of the shaft, and the very eroded capital can be seen.
Visit the Moorish Courtyard
If you wish to visit the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs and its Moorish Courtyard, do not hesitate to book one of our guided tours. We are experts in the interpretation of Córdoba’s historical heritage. If you have chosen to do tourism in Córdoba, choose a quality option: choose ArtenCórdoba.
Text: J.A.S.C.
The medieval construction of the Alcázar was almost completely destroyed when it was adapted into a prison in the 19th century, but it originally had a Moorish-type rectangular layout characteristic of Andalusian architecture.
The Moorish Patio is decorated with a stucco base with geometric designs and Arabic lacería in red, black, and ochre colors, along with the coats of arms of León and Castilla, reflecting the Muslim influence in the decoration.
In the Moorish Patio, you can see plants such as orange trees, lemon trees, pomegranates, and laurel, which have a clear eastern influence, possibly brought and cultivated by Granadian or Sevillian Muslims.
In the Moorish Patio, a small column found during an excavation in 1951 is preserved, reminiscent of the ancient Roman buildings such as the Customs House and the Palaces of the Procurator and the Quaestor.
The Moorish Patio is bounded by a wall topped with battlements on its western side, connecting with the towers of Los Leones and La Inquisición, and has a bricked-up access opening that shows an arch of Arab descent, as well as a large door connecting to the gardens of the Alcázar.
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