Coffered Ceiling Room
The medieval construction of the Alcázar was almost entirely destroyed after the building was converted into a prison in the 19th century. It is an exceptional example of a clearly Muslim layout, of the Morisco type, rectangular in shape, 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 staircases and water spillways.
The Layout of the Morisco Courtyard
The layout of the Morisco 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, likely 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 distinct types of geometric and Arabesque patterns, 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, the Morisco Courtyard is bordered by the building constructed in the 19th century to provide suitable cells for the prison. On the north side, there is a façade with a long vaulted gallery, visible from the outside with semicircular arches.
The courtyard is bordered on the west side by a wall crowned with battlements, connecting the Towers of the Lions and of the Inquisition. In the middle of the wall, there is a sealed access opening with a slightly pointed arch of Arab origin, as well as a large gate connecting to the gardens of the Alcázar.
Archaeological Remains
A small column is preserved in the courtyard, found during the 1951 excavation. It commemorates the ancient Roman buildings located beneath these grounds, such as the Customs House or the Palaces of the Procurator and Quaestor. The column displays the base, part of the shaft, and the capital, which is heavily eroded.
Visiting the Morisco Courtyard
If you wish to visit the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs and its Morisco Courtyard, don’t hesitate to book one of our guided tours. We are experts in the interpretation of Córdoba’s historical heritage. If you’ve chosen to enjoy tourism in Córdoba, choose a quality option: choose ArtenCórdoba.
Text: J.A.S.C.
The Alcázar featured a distinctly Muslim floor plan of Moorish type, rectangular in shape, with hallways that form a central cross and a fountain with a spout at the intersection.
The Moorish Patio is organized into four squares of gardens with trees such as orange, lemon, and pomegranate, following an arrangement influenced by the East, derived from Persia.
A base of stucco decorated with laceria and geometric Arab motifs in red, black, and ochre tones stands out, including coats of arms of León and Castilla.
The Moorish Patio is bordered on the east by a 19th-century building, on the north by a vaulted gallery with semi-circular arches, and on the west by a crenelated wall that connects the Lions and Inquisition towers.
In the Moorish Patio, a small Roman column found in 1951 is preserved, which includes the base, part of the shaft, and an eroded capital, as a testimony to the ancient constructions that existed under the Alcázar.
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