introduction To the west of Córdoba, at the foot of the Sierra Morena, the first caliph of Al-Andalus, Abd al-Rahman III, or- dered the construction from the year 940 of a city destined to become the political and administrative capital of the Western Umayyad Caliphate. The new city, named Madinat al- Zahra (shining city), is located in a privileged picturesque enclave, in successive terraced terrain that adapts to the topography of the terrain, with extensive views of the Guadalquivir Valley and the countryside. A rectangular level wall with a perimeter of nearly 4,500 metres outlined the city, which was organised internally into two very different parts. ) Reconstruction of the city of Madinat al-Zahra. Hypothesis of its urban structure The Alcázar The medina Is the sector of the city where the life of the caliph and his court was In this section, located on the lower terrace terrain of the city, the carried out, including administrative and official buildings as well as urban village and the Aljama mosque are found. residences and associated service areas. The Alcázar is located on the The life of the new city was, however, very short: barely 75 years passed higher terraced terrain of the city and is separated from the medina between its founding and the first destructions and pillaging caused by its own wall. by the struggles for power that ended in the disintegration of the Caliphate. From that point on, the gradual abandon and systematic pillaging of its constructive materials ended up burying the city. Today, Madinat al-Zahra is one of the main archaeological sites from the medieval period on a national and European scale, due to its historic significance as well as its size, 112 hectares. Since 1911, work has been done with the aim of advancing in the knowledge and recovery of the history of the city. The currently excavated area constitutes only a tenth of the total size of Madinat al-Zahra. It is the central section of the Alcázar, where some of the government and representation buildings can be viewed, as well as some of the homes of the caliphate court. ) Central nave of the superior basilica building Madinat al-Zahra Museum The recommended visit itinerary in the museum includes the follow- ing stops: Auditorium: the filmMadinat al-Zahra: la ciudad brillante (Madinat al- Zahra: the shining city) is shown, last-ing around 15 minutes. Permanent Exhibition: consisting of four inter-related blocks. • The foundation of the city and its context. • The construction of Madinat al-Zahra. • The city and its inhabitants. • The destruction and recovery of Madinat al-Zahra. Visible stores: store of architectural materials and Arabic store. As well as these three stops, the building also has the following com- ) General view of the museum plementary services: Specially equipped bathrooms. Information point at the ticket office. Café-restaurant. Shop-bookshop. “Manuel Ocaña” library. Teaching room. Lecture room. Estimated visit time for the museum: 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. ) Entrance hall ) Patio seen from the entrance hall ) Ataifor (bowl) with zoomorphic ) Composite capital with decoration representation in green and carved with a trephine or in a “bee- manganese hive” style ) Common ceramic jug with painted ) Decorative arch in white marble ) Jug with glazed decoration in ) Decorative marble board decoration of a latrine green and manganese distribution Patio Teaching room Store of metals and coating Store of glass and ceramics Exhibition space Visible store of architectural Workshops materials Patio Auditorium Visible Arabic store Public Transit Shop-bookshop Library Welcome Patio Cafeteria area itinerary In the entrance to the site there is a viewpoint and a series of explan- atory panels about the setting of the city and its surrounding area. The visit itinerary starts in the “chemin de ronde” (patrol path) of the North wall. The Alcázar is accessed through a bent entrance, the North gate (1) where there is a path that connects Madinat al-Zahra to Córdoba. The residential section of the Alcázar is accessed through this gate, through a street parallel to the wall that leads to the higher houses (2). These spaces organise their rooms around wide square patios. A street separating them ends in the guardhouse (3), controlling the access between the administrative area and the most private part of the Alcázar. The stables (4) are between both areas, through which the so-called house of Ya’far is accessed (5), a good example of the resi- dence of a senior person in the caliphate administration. Separated ) Trapezoidal space known as the guardhouse ) Trough of the stables ) Façade of the house of Ya’far from this large house by a corri- dor or side street are the serv- ice houses (6), where there is an oven for preparing food. Other large residences are the Alberca house (7) and the Pilares patio (8), both currently in the process of consolidation and not open to the public. Returning to the guardhouse, towards the East, we begin the tour of the administrative sec- tion of the Alcázar. Firstly, we find the large basilica building (9), that has five parallel naves and one transversal nave that is very bare in its decoration. ) Superior basilica building Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Ensemble (Site)· Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Ensemble Geographical source: National Geographic Institute Geographical source: (Museum)· A-431 Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Ensemble Carretera de Palma del Río, Km 5.5 14005 Córdoba Tel. (+34) 957 10 49 33 - (+34) 957 10 36 37 Fax: (+34) 957 74 10 21 [email protected] www.museosdeandalucia.es Through a street with two ramp sections, a big portico (10), which forms the weapons square of the palace, where, among other things, they the monumental protocol entrance to the Alcázar is accessed. This must have celebrated military parades. archwork is a splendid architectural scene organised as the façade of ) Ramp street of access to the portico ) Portico in front of the weapons square From the path down to the next terrace, the Aljama mosque can be seen (11), placed in the lower level of the city and correctly oriented towards the south east. Opposite it are several houses that can be associated with the service staff of the mosque (12). The tour round the official sec- tion of the Alcázar ends on the terrace presided by the Abd al-Rahman III hall (13), one of the majestic rooms destined for political receptions held in the city. It forms the main nucleus of an integrated ensemble by an extensive high garden with cross paths (14), a central pavil- ion (15), completely disappeared, ) Inside of the Abdl-Rahman III hall or Salón Rico (rich hall) surrounded by four ponds and a series of rich open rooms on the north side of the garden that lead to a hamman bath (16). In the highest part of the Al- cázar, out with the visit itinerary and currently inaccessible to the public due to conservation is- sues, there is another construc- tion of unique importance: the Royal house (Dar al-Mulk) (18) that we can identify as the pri- vate residence of the caliph Abd al-Rahman III. Estimated visit time for the site: 1 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours. ) Pond of the high garden in front of the Salón Rico (rich hall) 1 1. North gate 2. Higher houses 9 18 2 3. Guardhouse 4. Stables 3 5. House of Ya’Far 8 10 6. Service houses 6 4 7. Alberca house 7 5 8. Pilares patio 9. Superior basilica building 13 10. Portico and ramp street 16 11. Aljama mosque 12. Houses in front of the mosque 12 13. Abd al-Rahman III hall 14. High Garden 17 15 11 15. Central Pavilion 14 14 16. One-person bathroom 17. Low Garden 18. Dar al-Mulk welcome For years, the Ministry of Culture of the Regional Government of Museum of Jaén, Archaeological Museum of Úbeda, Museum of Arts Andalusia has endeavoured to modernise the Andalusian museums and Popular Traditions of High Guadalquivir, Archaeological Ensem- in order to make them centres capable of tackling new cultural and ble of Cástulo, Iberian Museum, Museum of Málaga, Archaeological social challenges, with the aim of achieving the Ensemble of Antequera Dolmens, Archaeological Museum of Seville, best and maximum access of citizens to the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions of Seville, Fine Arts Museum collections. of Seville, Andalusian Centre of Contemporary Art, Archaeological The museums of Andalusia managed by Ensemble of Carmona and Archaeological Ensemble of Itálica. the Ministry of Culture form a network composed of 24 institutions, very dif- At these museums, anyone is welcome who wishes to learn more about ferent to each other. The Museum of our region and our heritage with their resources and the activities that Almería, Monumental Ensemble of are carried out there. This artistic, archaeological and ethnographic the Alcazaba of Almería, Museum heritage reflects what we were like and how we have come to be what of Cádiz, Archaeological Ensemble we are now. The institutions, through their exhibitions and activities, of Baelo Claudia, Archaeological show what we long to be in the future. Museum of Córdoba, Fine Arts Mu- We want to welcome you to this museum, hoping that you enjoy your seum of Córdoba, Madinat al-Zahra visit. We encourage you to visit all the museums in Andalusia and we Archaeological Ensemble, Archaeo- thank you for the tie that you have created, from now on permanently, logical and Ethnological Museum of with Andalusian heritage. Granada, Casa de los Tiros Museum, Fine Arts Museum of Granada, Museum of Huelva, Ministry of Culture visit us How to get there? Private transport Madinat al-Zahra is accessed via the Palma del Río motorway (A-431), Km.