Walls and Gates of Cordoba

The Walls of Cordoba have a long history, as long as the history of the city itself. Situated along the perimeter of its old historic quarter, they offer a series of monuments of great tourist and cultural importance.

However, these Walls have been protected for centuries by Romans, Arabs and Christians, which is reflected in the contrast of cultures for which the city is characterised.

Then, in the middle of the 19th century, the Walls lost their usefulness both in their military function and as a customs office, for example, to impose taxes on goods entering the city.

From that time on, both the Wall and the Gates were progressively destroyed due to their deterioration over time. In the meantime, most of the city’s inhabitants defended the heritage that was gradually being lost.

If you want to discover more about this city full of culture and history, at Oway Tours we have the best tours about Cordoba.

The Roman Wall 

But there are traces that time has not erased, that let us see through a series of sections the strategic enclaves that the city possessed during its history. These are summarised in a series of walls that surround the old part of the city. We can summarise them by highlighting:

Tour Córdoba

El Portillo

This is a small open gate that was left inside the city in the 14th century. It closed off the Medina and separated it from the Axerquia along what are today the streets of Alfaros and Feria. Remains of the wall can still be seen inside the Palace of the Marquises of Carpio.

arco del portillo (Córdoba)

 

Luján Slope

This is the slope that connects Calle Ambrosio de Morales with Calle de San Fernando. Its purpose was to make it much easier to communicate the two parts of the city: the Villa and the Axerquía. The plaque commemorating this opening can still be admired on the east wall, at the top of the slope.

cuesta de Luján (Córdoba

 

Cuesta del Bailío (Bailío Slope)

This was one of the entrances to the wall that connected the Axerquia with the Medina. From this well known street you reach the Plaza de Capuchinos, presided over by the famous Cristo de los Faroles (Christ of the Lanterns). At the end of this square is the Casa del Bailío, with a beautiful Renaissance façade. This Christ is known to be the most venerated sculpture and one of the most mysterious places in the city. If you are interested in knowing more about the secrets about Cordoba; visit the following post.

cuesta bailio (Córdoba)

 

Belén Tower

It belongs to a part of the wall that surrounded what was once called the Castillo de la Judería (Jewish quarter castle) and later Corral de los Ballesteros. It is a gateway in a bend, a typical Muslim defensive system for its gates. The Roman wall ran through this enclave, and after the expansion of the city towards the river, the Muslim wall.

torre de belén (Córdoba)

 

Calahorra Tower

This is a fortress of Islamic origin designed as a protective gateway to the city. It stands on the south side of the river and at one end of the Roman Bridge. This tower was declared a historic-artistic monument in 1931. It was later ceded to the Institute for the Dialogue of Cultures, which has installed an audiovisual museum.

For more information about the Roman Bridge and the Calahorra Tower, we recommend you visit our guide to the monuments of Cordoba.

torre de Calahorra (Córdoba)

 

La Ribera Walls

Built during the reign of King Henry II, in the second half of the 14th century, they protected the neighbourhood from the floods of the river. One of the most outstanding resources in this area is the Guadalcabrillas Tower.

murallas de la ribera (Córdoba)

 

The Marrubial Walls

They are of rammed earth origin, as the city, even in the Caliphate period, was surrounded only by a moat. The Almoravids built this part of the wall in the 12th century. It has undergone a series of restorations throughout history for its conservation.

Murallas del Marrubial

 

Gates of the Medina

Malmuerta Tower

A watchtower to defend the two free parts of the wall from one corner. It was built between 1404-1408. Next to it is a small wall panel.

torre de la Malmuerta (Córdoba)

 

Puerta del Rincón Gate

It was located just at the end of Puerta del Rincón street, and the Puerta del Rincón tower still survives today. The gate was demolished in 1852, but this area has recently been restored. In 2002, an emergency archaeological intervention was carried out.

torre de la puerta del rincón (Córdoba)

 

Seville Gate

It is currently located near the bridge of San Rafael, at the end of Avenida Conde de Vallecano. Its beginnings are known from the creation of the district of San Basilio and the consequent extension of the city and the wall to the west, which made it necessary to build a new gate for the city.

puerta de Sevilla (Córdoba)

 

Bridge Gate

Built in the 16th century in Renaissance style to commemorate the celebration of the Cortes of Philip II in the city, the current gate is located in an enclave where Roman gates were once located, linking the city with the Roman bridge and Via Augusta.

Since 1931, the gate, together with the Roman bridge and the tower of Calahorra, has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of monument. It also belongs to the historic centre of Cordoba, declared a World Heritage Site.

puerta del puente (Córdoba)

 

Almodóvar Gate

Built in the 14th century over a gate of Arab origin, it is one of the best-preserved gates in the city walls today. It is located in a very central area of the city, next to the Red Cross hospital and the Jewish Street, one of the most popular streets in the Jewish quarter.

On the outside of the wall there are gardens with a statue of the Cordovan philosopher Seneca.

For more information about Monumental Cordoba, we recommend you visit our Tour of the Alcazar, the Jewish Quarter and the Mosque.

puerta de Almodóvar (Córdoba)

 

Routes to visit the Gates and Walls of Cordoba

In order to establish a route to visit the Gates and Walls of Cordoba, we differentiate, first of all, three routes, where we divide the route into the Medina-Villa, the Axerquia and the Old Alcazar. After this division, we will now highlight the main gates and walls that can be visited:

  • Route 1: The Medina-Villa
    • Gallegos Gate.
    • “Torre del Rincón” (Corner Tower).
    • Roma Gate.
    • Canvas preserved next to the so-called “Portillo arch”.
    • Gate of the Bridge.
    • “Women’s Courtyard” of the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs.
    • Remains of the wall visible in Cairuán Street.
    • Gate of Almodóvar

 

  • ROUTE 2: La Axerquía
    • The “Torre del Rincón” (Corner Tower).
    • Section of the wall halfway along Calle Adarve.
    • Tower of La Malmuerta
    • Section of wall reconstructed and integrated into the current Faculty of Labour Sciences.
    • Section of wall and a gate identified as that of Alvar Colodro.
    • Wall stretches in Muro de la Misericordia and Fernando de Lara streets.
    • Wall preserved along the Ronda del Marrubial.
    • Gateway of Andújar in Ronda de Andújar street.
    • Old Baeza Gate and line of wall annexed to it located in Agustín Moreno Street.

 

  • ROUTE 3: The Old Alcazar
    • “Water Tower” of the wall of the Huerta del Alcázar.
    • Three towers made of rammed earth and stretches of the wall of the Huerta del Alcázar.
    • Guadalcabrillas Tower.
    • Stretches of wall visible in Avda. Del Corregidor.
    • Seville Gate next to the double-arched albarran tower.

 

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