Historical Centre - Cordoba's Historical Center is one of the largest in Europe; you can see evidence of various periods of history within this one area. Sites within the historic centre include the Roman Bridge over the River Guadalquivir; Alcazar with its magnificent mosaics; the Roman temple; remains of the Roman walls; Caliphal Baths; Grand Mosque and many more.

Calleja de las Flores - A quaint couple of alley-ways located in the Jewish Quarter of, near the Mosque and leads into a small plaza. The houses have charming balconies with wrought-iron balustrades with colourful flower pots.

Mezquita Cathedral - Undoubtedly the most wonderful building in Cordoba. The majority of the art and architecture we see today comes from the 8th century Islamic architects of the former mosque. As far back as the Romans this was considered holy and the Romans constructed a temple here. The Christian church was built inside the mosque by the Catholic conquerors in the 13th century.

The original mosque took more than 200 years to complete; it was begun in 784AD and is said to have held an original copy of the Koran and relics of the Prophet Mohammed. Each wave of conquering invaders left their mark on the building and changes continued into the late 18th century.

Puerta del Puenta - The Bridge Gate stands on the north bank of the River and the present Renaissance structure was constructed on the site of former Roman and Moorish gates. First mention of the gate in historic documents was is 720AD when it was restored. The gate joins the old town to the Roman Bridge and would have been the entry gate to the city and part of the city walls.

Roman Bridge - The Roman bridge originated in the 1st century AD but has been rebuilt several times since then. The bridge was part of the route which connected Roma to Cadiz. Its present form was constructed in the Middle Ages, with the Muslim rulers building on the remains of the former Roman Bridge. The Puerta del Puente and Calahorra Tower were constructed at each end of the bridge in the Middle Ages, with the latest changes made in 18th century.

Alcazar - The fortress of Alcazar was the royal court for 160 years following its constructed by Alfonso XI in 1328. The palace stands on the site on an earlier 8th century caliphate residence and still retains parts of the Moorish remains. During the 15th century the complex was home to Ferdinand and Isabella. This is where Christopher Columbus was presented to Queen Isabella and told his plans to find a new route to India - ha!. This complex later became the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition (1492-1821) and in 1810 the palace-fortress became the garrison for Napoleon's forces.

Gallery of the Inquisition - The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition was established by King Ferdinand II and Isabella in 1478 following the Medieval Inquisition established by the Pope. The inquisition continued until 1834 and was directly under the authority of the monarchy. I guess humankind has made a little progress in the last 500 years.

Palacio de la Merced - Originally Convent of St. Mary of Mercy, the surviving building date back to renovations carried out on the convent building in the late 17th century. The site was renovated from 1745 to 1760. Eexcavations revealed the remains of an ancient Roman masonry as well as part of a baptistery and crypt from the Middle Ages, although little remains of the 13th century convent. In 1850 the site underwent renovations turning it into a hospital and again in 1960 it was renovated to become the present city council buildings.

Cristo de los Faroles - Christ of the Lanterns is baroque crucifix located in the center of Capuchin's Square. Thie square is extremely plain The crucifix is surrounded by eight lanterns or street lamps and was created in 1794.

Museo de Julio Romero de Torres - Eestablished in 1931, the museum is dedicated to work by the Cordobian artist Julio Romero de Torres. The museum holds a collection of paintings with works spanning his career. In later life he became known for his erotic paintings of nude women -I liked his work a lot. Good on you Julio! Unfortunately, no photo's inside the museum.

Casa de las Cabezas (House of the Heads) - The house has four sections and four courtyards (patios) taking you back to the Medieval era to the life of a noble family. In the vaulted cellar there are the old stables and an ancient Roman pool. The house has one of the few surviving resting places where women would sit on thick carpets and beautiful fabrics - up until the 1700s chairs were reserved for the men. (I don't think that fashion will come back.)

Alongside the house is a narrow lane covered by seven stone arches. According to legend the house once belonged to a nobleman named Gonzalo Gustioz who was held prisoner here. Seven of his sons tried to rescue him and were slaughtered in the ensuing battle. Then their heads were hung from the arches in the lane, hence the name. Once again, I guess we have progressed a little.