Story
The story of Madinat Al-Zahra
About 5 km west of Córdoba lie the ruins of an entire palace city. In 929 Abd ar-Rahman III declared himself caliph, and the dignity of that new title called for a new city to symbolise his power. Construction began in 936–940 and continued through his reign and that of his son, Al-Hakam II. By 945 the caliph was living here, and in 947 the machinery of state, including the mint, moved in from Córdoba.
The city had reception halls, a mosque, offices, noble residences, gardens, workshops, barracks and baths, with water brought by aqueducts. Thousands of antique marble columns were brought in, mostly from Ifriqiya. Its name means "the radiant city", and a popular legend says it honoured the caliph's favourite wife.
Its life was short: between 1010 and 1013 it was sacked during a civil war and then abandoned. Excavations began in 1911, yet only about 10 of its 112 hectares have been uncovered. In 2018 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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