Must-SeeSight · LandmarkPaidOutdoors

Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs

A fortress-palace with terraced gardens of pools, cypresses and orange trees, where Columbus met Ferdinand and Isabella.

Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0
Open
Closed Mondays
Price
Paid
Time Needed
1½ hours
Address
Plaza Campo Santo de los Mártires, 14004 CórdobaDirections
Getting There
A 5-minute walk southwest of the Mosque–Cathedral.

Why Go

King Alfonso XI built the fortress in 1328 on the site of the caliphs' palace. The Catholic Monarchs lived here during the war on Granada and received Columbus, and later the Inquisition used it for three centuries. Inside are Roman mosaics found in the city; outside, long pools and fountains fill the gardens.

Nearby in Córdoba

Go Next

1–3 of 6
Must-See
Cities · UNESCO

Seville

Andalusia
About 75 miles away

Andalusia's soul: the huge cathedral and Giralda, the Royal Alcázar and flamenco.

Full Guide
Must-See
Heritage · UNESCO

Granada

Andalusia
About 81 miles away

An Andalusian city crowned by the Alhambra, the Moors' astonishing hilltop palace. Book far ahead.

Full Guide
Worth a Detour
Cities · Small towns

Ronda and the White Towns

Andalusia
About 81 miles away

A cliff-split town with its great bridge and old bullring, among whitewashed villages.

Guide Coming Soon

Something wrong or out of date?

Traveler Reviews

Sign in and mark Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs as visited to write a review.