Córdoba The pillar forest of the Mezquita Flag Coat of Arms Location Coordinates : 37°53′0″N 4°46′0″W / 37.88333, -4.76667Coordinates: 37°53′0″N 4°46′0″W / 37.88333, -4.76667 Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Córdoba (Spanish) Spanish name Córdoba Postal code 140xx Website www.cordoba.es Administration Country Spain Autonomous Community Andalucía Province Córdoba Mayor Rosa Aguilar (IU) Geography Land Area 1252 km² Altitude 120 m AMSL Population Population 323,600 (2007) Density 258 hab. The Mezquita (Spanish for " Mosque " of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic Cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of Córdoba A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A postal code (known in various countries as a post code, postcode, or ZIP code) is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages The term administration, as used in the context of Government, differs according to Jurisdiction. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. An autonomous community is a first-level political division of the Kingdom of Spain, established in accordance with the Spanish Constitution. Andalusia (Andalucía is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the most populous and the second largest in terms of land area In addition to its autonomous communities, Spain is divided into fifty Provinces. Córdoba (Arabic قرطبة) traditionally named Cordova in English is a province of southern Spain, in the north-central part of the A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Joaquina Rosa Aguilar Rivero ( Córdoba, July 7, 1957) is a Spanish Politician. United Left ( Izquierda Unida) is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 during the mobilizations in Spain against NATO. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Altitude is the Elevation of a point or object from a known level or datum (plural data The term above mean sea level ( AMSL) refers to the Elevation (on the ground or Altitude (in the Air) of any object relative to the In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The density of a material is defined as its Mass per unit Volume: \rho = \frac{m}{V} Different materials usually have different /km² (2005)

Historic Centre of Córdoba* UNESCO World Heritage Site State Party  Spain Type Cultural Criteria i, ii, iii, iv Reference 313 Region† Europe and North America Inscription history Inscription 1984  (8th Session) Extensions 1994 * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

On the Rio Guadalquivir, just downstream from the Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) is a restored Islamic water wheel that once would have raised water to the caliph's palace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex

Córdoba is a city in Andalucía, southern Spain, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Andalusia (Andalucía is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the most populous and the second largest in terms of land area Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Córdoba (Arabic قرطبة) traditionally named Cordova in English is a province of southern Spain, in the north-central part of the Located at 37. 88° North, 4. 77° West, on the Guadalquivir river, it was founded in ancient Roman times as Corduba by Claudius Marcellus. The Guadalquivir is the fifth longest River in Spain (after the Tagus, Ebro, Duero and Guadiana) and the longest in Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Marcus Claudius Marcellus (ca 268 BC-208 BC was a Roman general one of the commanders of the Roman Army during the Second Punic War and the conqueror of Syracuse Its population in 2007 was 323,600. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[1]

Today a moderately-sized modern city, the old town contains many impressive architectural reminders of when Córdoba was the thriving capital of the Caliphate of Córdoba that governed almost all of the Iberian peninsula. The Caliphate of Córdoba (Arabic خلافة قرطبة ruled the Iberian peninsula ( Al-Andalus) and North Africa from the city of It has been estimated that Córdoba, with up to 500,000 inhabitants in the tenth century, was the largest city in Western Europe and, perhaps, in the world^[2].

History

Córdoba was the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Ulterior Baetica. Hispania Baetica was one of three Imperial Roman provinces in Hispania, (modern Iberia) Great philosophers like Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, orators like Seneca the Elder and poets like Lucan expressed themselves in the palaces of Córdoba. Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca, or Seneca the Younger; Σένεκας in Ancient Greek literature (c Lucius or Marcus Annaeus Seneca, known as Seneca the Elder and Seneca the Rhetorician (ca Marcus Annaeus Lucanus ( November 3, 39 AD – April 30, 65 AD better known in English as Lucan, was a Roman Later, it occupied an important place in the Provincia Hispaniae of the Byzantine Empire and during the Visigoth period.

Córdoba became a capital once more during the Independent Emirate and the Western Umayyad Caliphate, the period of its apogee, with a population ranging between 250,000 and 500,000 inhabitants. The Caliphate of Córdoba (Arabic خلافة قرطبة ruled the Iberian peninsula ( Al-Andalus) and North Africa from the city of In the 10th century, Córdoba – called قرطبة (Qurţuba) in Arabic – was one of the largest cities in the world, as well as a great cultural, political and economic centre. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The Córdoba Mosque dates back to this time.

With one of the most extensive historical heritages in the world (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO the 17th of December 1984), the city also features a number of modern areas, including the districts of Zoco and the railway station district, Plan RENFE.

The regional government (the Junta de Andalucía) has for some time been studying the creation of a Córdoba Metropolitan Area that would comprise, in addition to the capital itself, the towns of Villafranca, Obejo, La Carlota, Villaharta, Villaviciosa, Almodóvar del Río. The Andalusian Autonomous Government (Junta de Andalucía is an organization comprising 14 departments seven independent bodies and 210000 public employees covering a whole range and Guadalcázar. The combined population of such an area would be around 351,000.

Geography

Its location on the banks of the Guadalquivir river and its easy access to the mining resources of the Sierra Morena (coal, lead, zinc) satisfy the population’s needs.

The city is located in a depression of the valley of the Guadalquivir. In the north is the Sierra Morena, which defines the borders of the municipal area.

Climate

Córdoba has a Mediterranean climate with Atlantic coastal influences. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Winters are mild with isolated frosts.

Summers, with increased daily thermal oscillations, have the highest maximum temperatures in Europe, exceeding 40°C occasionally. Local minimum summer temperature is 27°C, the highest in Spain and Europe. Precipitation is concentrated in the coldest months; this is due to the Atlantic coastal influence. Precipitation is generated by storms from the west that occur more often from December through February. This Atlantic characteristic then gives way to a hot summer with significant drought more typical of Mediterranean climates.

Annual rain surpasses 500 mm although there is a recognized inter-annual irregularity. In agreement with the climatic Classification of Köppen, the local climate can be described as Csa.

Registered maximum temperatures at Córdoba Airport (located at 6 km of the city) are 46. 6º (23rd, July 1995) and 46. 2º (1st, August 2003). The minimum temperature is -8. 2º (28th January 2005).

Important buildings

Religious architecture

• The Mezquita: The Mosque, which dates back to the Umayyad period (its construction started in 784), was converted to a Cathedral after the Reconquista. The Mezquita (Spanish for " Mosque " of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic Cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of Córdoba Events By Place Asia The Japanese capital moves away from Nara, ending the Nara period. The Reconquista (a Spanish and Portuguese word for "Reconquest" Arabic: الاسترداد, "Recapturing" was a period
• Synagogue (14th century)
• Fernandine- and Alphonsine-style churches (13th century)
• Monasteries and broods (some of them are desafected)

The Walcha Cave was built in 1489 in Cordobe

Civil and military architecture

• Alcázar of the Christian Kings (14th century)
• Palace of Viana with its flowered patios (16th century)
• Royal residences and palaces
• The Tower of Calahorra (14th century)
• The Door of the Bridge (16th century)
• The Plaza Vieja or Plaza Mayor
• Walls and towers of the Muslim and Christian period

Archaeological sites

• Roman archaeological remains (temple, mausoleum)
• Islamic archaeological remains (minarets preserved in the churches, Arab baths)
• Archaeological site of Madinat Al-Zahra (10th century)
• The Roman Bridge

Parks & Gardens

• Garden of the Victory
• Garden of the Rivas Duc
• Garden of the Agriculture
• Garden of the Conde de Vallellano
• Garden of Juan Carlos I
• Park Cruz Conde
• Sotos de la Albolafia
• Balcón del Guadalquivir
• Peri-urban park of Los Villares
• Park of the Miraflores

Famous people born in Córdoba and its province

Córdoba was the birthplace of four famous philosophers: in Roman times the stoic Seneca, in Islamic times the Muslim Averroes, one of Islam's most famous and eminent scholars Imam Abu 'Abdullah Al-Qurtubi and the Jewish scholar Maimonides. The Ruins of Madinat al-Zahra (in Arabic: Madinat al-Zahra, مدينة الزهراء are located about 5 kilometers from Córdoba Spain. Stoicism, a school of Hellenistic philosophy, was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early third century BC Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca, or Seneca the Younger; Σένεκας in Ancient Greek literature (c Abū 'l-Walīd Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Rushd (Arabicأبو الوليد محمد بن احمد بن رشد better known just as Ibn Rushd (ابن رشد and in European TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Imam Abu 'Abdullah Al-Qurtubi or Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Córdoba was also the birthplace of the Roman poet Lucan, the medieval Spanish poet Juan de Mena, and the Renaissance Luis de Góngora, who lived most of his life and wrote all his most important works but one in Córdoba. Marcus Annaeus Lucanus ( November 3, 39 AD – April 30, 65 AD better known in English as Lucan, was a Roman Juan de Mena (1411 Córdoba &ndash 1456 Torrelaguna) was one of the most significant Spanish poets of the fifteenth century Luis de Góngora y Argote ( July 11, 1561 &ndash May 24, 1627) was a Spanish Baroque lyric Poet. In addition some scholars have linked the Renaissance philosopher Abraham Cohen de Herrera to the city. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Abraham Cohen de Herrera ( רבי אברהם כהן בן דוד דה-הירירה) also known as Alonso Nunez de Herrera or Abaham Irira (c More recently, several flamenco artists including Paco Peña, Vicente Amigo, and Joaquín Cortés were born here as well. Flamenco is a Spanish term that refers both to a musical genre known for its intricate rapid passages and a dance genre characterized by its audible footwork Paco Peña (born 1st June 1942 is a Spanish Flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo Girol (born 1967 is a Spanish Flamenco composer and Virtuoso Guitarist, born in Guadalcanal, near Seville. Joaquín Cortés (born February 22, 1969) is a classically trained ballet and Flamenco dancer from Spain of Roma origin

Twin cities

• Adana, Turkey
• Al Qayrawan, Tunisia^[3]
• Damascus, Syria^[3]
• Manchester, United Kingdom^[4]
• Bourg-en-Bresse, France
• Fes, Morocco^[3]
• Lahore, Pakistan^[3]
• Bukhara, Uzbekistan^[3]

References

External links

• (Spanish) Official website of the city council.
• Cordoba 24 - Cordoba information for travelers
• rural tourism in Córdoba
• http://www.castillosnet.org/cordoba/index1.shtml
• Cordobapedia
• Córdoba en 3D
• MayoCordobes.es Córdoba's photos