Cordoba Andalusia

City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus

The Easy way of visiting Cordoba Attractions

2 Routes & 22 Bus Stops
24 hour tickets

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City Sightseeing Cordoba

Mezquita Mosque & Cathedral of Cordoba

The Mezquita Mosque & Cathedral of Córdoba is split into 3 sections

The Bell Tower. The Orange Patio. The Mezquita Mosque & Cathedral building

Bell Tower & The Orange Patio

Interactive Photo of Bell Tower & The Orange Patio

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The Cathedral Bell Tower

Open to the public

The tower is open to the public for a small fee that is seperate from the fee for the main building
Tours last for 30 minutes and start on the hour and half past the hour
- There is a strict limit of 20 persons per tour
There are strict rules for visitors, see below.
The tour stops for a while at 3 levels, allowing you to recover your breath.
The views over the Mezquita Mosque & Cathedral, Jewish Quarter & Cordoba are absolutely magnificent

Bell Tower Important rules for a safe and enjoyable experience

Children under the age of seven years are not allowed
Children between seven and 14 years must be attended by an adult.
The height of the tower is the same as a 12-story high rise. There is NO LIFT. And the height of steps is greater than normal.
- Therefore, people with disorders or physical infirmity should not visit
Always observe instructions by the staff.
Any activity bothering or jeopardizing other visitors is strictly forbidden.
Smoking and food are not permitted.
Throwing down of items of any kind is not permitted.
Touching the bells is not permitted.
Using a tripod is not permitted.
For reasons of safety, weather conditions, construction activity or other reasons, scheduled tours may be cancelled without prior notice.

The Bell Tower History

The Bell tower started it's life as an Islamic Minaret and was built for Abd al-Rahman I and was located approximately 10 metres south of its present location in the ablution courtyard now the Orange Patio, in the ^8th century
During Abd al-Rahman II reign the Orange Patio & Mosque were enlarged in width
In the ^8th century Almanzor extended the Mosque & patio by 1 third in the direction of Mecca & also extended the lower floors of the Minaret in the same direction
This meant the moving of the minaret to its present location and it's height was increased to 47 metres in the the ^9th century
In the ^14th century the Christians converted the Mosque into a cathedral.
- They kept most of the Islamic features such as :
  - The red & white Islamic arches
  - Plaster work
  - Mirhab, the niche that is supposed to depict the direction of Mecca
- The changes were the building of the Main Chapel and Gothic Nave. 14th century
- Later in the ^16th century centre when they:
  - Built the Transept of the Cathedral, main Altar & Choir with a large dome .above, roughly in the centre of the building
  - They heightened the minaret and changed it into a Bell Tower
  - Modified the courtyard from a place for ablutions, where Muslims would wash before entering the mosque, into the Orange tree patio with ornamental water features

The Orange Patio (Patio de los Naranjos)

98 Orange Trees are gowing in the large enclosed courtyard (sahn) of the Mosque–Cathedral of Cordoba
The courtyard is divided into 3 areas divided by paths.
Each area contains besides the orange trees, palm trees and a fountain that were used my the muslins to perform there ablutions prior to prayer in the great Mosque

The Mezquita Mosque & Cathedral building

Double Arches Cordoba Mosque

Visigoth Basilica of San Vicente

The archaeological remains of the Visigoth Basilica of San Vicentwere found in thecrypt of the Mosque-Cathedral

The Mosque

Originally built in the reign of Abd ar-Raḥmān I 784–786.
xtensions in the 9th and 10th centuries
The Hypostyle hall,contained 856 columns made of jasper, onyx, marble, granite, and porphyry.
The distinctive muslim Horseshoe Arches are very noticable with there alternate stones of Red & White.
The majority of the arches are double arches with an arch a gap and then another arch above.
To avoid the crowds visit in the Morning
When the mosque was extended the styling of the pillars changed to a simpler stone but carved.

The Christians Convertion to a Cathedral

Forunatly the Christians left an amazing amount of the Mosque intact.
Building therir Cathedral roughly in the middle and converting the minurete into a Bell Tower.

Christian Kings Palace Fortress. (Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

The Alcázar, meaning a fortress or palace is comprising of 4 walls with towers at each corner (Paloma, Leones, Homenaje and Inquisición towers), creating a slightly off shaped square configuration to the Alcazar.
Ferdinand II and Isabella I, the Catholic Monarchs of Aragon, Castile, and Leon in Spain made the fortress there home for 8 years, during their reqconquess of Andalusia
The current Alcazar was built on Roman and substantial Arab remains in 1328 by King Alphonso XI of Castile
Allow 1.5 to 3 hours for your visit

Towers of the of the Christian Kings

Tower of the Lions (La torre de los Leones)

Is located in the north west corner and the entrance to the fortress.
The tower is the oldest dating to the 13^th Century and square in shape with 2 floors and a roof.
It contains the:
- Chapel of San Eustaquio (La capilla de San Eustaquio), which was the chapel to the Catholic Kings.
- Nearby are the stairs to the battlements.
- Thearabstyle baths on the ground floor.
It is named after a lion shaped gargoyle near the top.
After entering the tower on the left is the entance to the Hall of the Mosaics. often used for events & weddings, a 1 story building from this
Entrance to the Courtyard of the Moriscos.

Tower of Homage (La torre del Homenaje)

Tower of Homage (La torre del Homenaje), is locatedin the Northeast corne & of octagonal shape.
The tower was previously known as ‘The Clock Tower’ (Torre del Reloj). The clock was removed earlt in the 20th century.
The interior has Gothic features including a pointed vault ceiling.
This is where Christopher Columbus met Ferdinand II and Isabella I, the Catholic Monarchs of Aragon, Castile, and Leon in Spain for the first time, while asking for money to engage in what would become the second Discovery of America, the vikings being the first.

Tower of the inquisition (La torre de la Inquisición)

Tower of the inquisition is of a circular shape, and is situated in the Southwest corner.
It is named because for centuries, it housed the archives of the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition (Tribunal de la Santa Inquisition).

Tower of the Dove (La torre de la Paloma)

Tower of the Dove is of a square shape & located in the Southeast corner.
The current tower is a reconstruction built in the second half of the 20th century, after the original tower was demolished in the mid-19th century.
It was also known as ‘The Watch Tower’ (Torre de la Vela)

Alcazar Courtyards

Courtyard of the Moriscos Courtyard of the Women

Courtyard of the Moriscos

The western courtyard.
This courtyard is square in shape surrounded on 3 sides by arched verandas, the fourth western side has a closed gate to the external Alcazar gardens
There are 2 ponds with a fountain inbetween in it's centre surrounded by trees

Courtyard of the Women

The eastern courtyard
Full of former building ruins only a few feet high.
When the Alcazar was used as a prison this was where the female prisoners were imprisoned.

Cordoba Bus Station

Autobus Local Bus Routes Map

Alsa Buses - National & European Jouneys

Alsa Bus Station

Description of Alsa Bus

ALSA, which is the largest Spanish Coach company and is a subsidiary of the UK's National Express.
Most jouneys are by ALSA standard coaches.
Fewer jouneys are by ALSA Supra coaches, slightly more expensive, but with more legroom & some single seats

Destinations

A very wide choice of destinations including

Alicante

Granada

Granada Jaen Airport

Malaga

Seville

Seville Airport

Location of Alsa Bus

See location of Alsa Bus on our Cordoba Map

Socibus Bus Station

Description of Socibus

Socibus operates a fleet of modern coaches on routes throughout Central & South West Spain

Location of Socibus Bus Station

Estación de Autobuses. Gta. De las Tres Culturas, s/n. C.P.: 14011

See location of Socibus Bus Station on our Cordoba Map

Socibus operates the following routes:

Córdoba - Cádiz,
Córdoba - Huelva
Madrid - Sevilla
Madrid - Córdoba
Madrid - Cádiz
Madrid - Huelva
Bilbao - Sevilla
Bilbao - Málaga
Bilbao - Córdoba
Bilbao - Cádiz
Irún - Algeciras. Via Cordoba
Irún - Malaga. Via Cordoba

Passenger Information

Website

Train Station

Location

Glorieta de las Tres Culturas, S/N, Córdoba

Cordoba station has a large comercial gallery within the station complex. This includes presents and souveniers, flowers, sweet shops, lottery, Car Hire offices, Cordoba city Tourist info office, cash dispensing machines, photo booth, para-pharmacy, newsagents.
A number of Cafes, bars, and restaurant,

Plan of train Station

LEFT LUGGAGE LOCKERS
Left luggage Lockers are NOT available at the train station, but they are available at the bus station opposite.

Tourist Information Offices

Interactive Photo of Main Very Modern Tourist Information Office