GUIDED TOUR OF THE ALCÁZAR DE LOS REYES CRISTIANOS WITH ENTRANCE INCLUDED

TOUR OF THE ALCÁZAR DE LOS REYES CRISTIANOS AND ITS GARDENS

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   The tour begins by examining the defensive features of the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, an almost square complex protected by towers at its corners. This structure helps to situate the building as both fortress and palace, with a marked military function within medieval Córdoba.

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   In the wall area you'll find the main towers of the complex: the Torre de los Leones, the Torre del Homenaje, the Torre de la Inquisición and the former Torre de la Paloma. The Torre del Homenaje was where oaths to defend the fortress were sworn and royal proclamations made. The Torre de la Inquisición, located to the south-west, served as an archive for centuries.

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   The visit continues into the interior of the Alcázar, where the tour is organised around courtyards and historic halls. In this area you'll find the ancient baths linked to Alfonso XI and the Patio Morisco, of Mudéjar influence, located on the west side of the building. The Patio de las Mujeres is mentioned as part of the historic complex, but should be treated as a space that can be appreciated from the Hall of Mosaics, rather than as an open interior stop.

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   One of the central points of the itinerary is the Hall of Mosaics, a former chapel where Roman mosaics discovered during excavations in Córdoba are displayed. The collection comes from beneath Plaza de la Corredera and dates from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, with figurative and geometric motifs linked to a wealthy Roman mansion.

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   In this same section you'll find a 3rd-century Roman sarcophagus, discovered in the Huerta de San Rafael. The official description focuses on its main motif, the door to Hades or the afterlife.

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   The tour then reaches the gardens of the Alcázar, linked to the former orchards of the complex. Today's gardens are structured on three terraces at different levels, with fountains, large pools and native vegetation. The water supply system from the river and the mountains is also preserved.

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   In the garden area you'll find the sculpture commemorating the meeting between Isabella the Catholic, Ferdinand the Catholic and Christopher Columbus. This point allows the visit to close by connecting the Alcázar with the conversations prior to Columbus's first voyage to America and with the political role that Córdoba played during the era of the Catholic Monarchs.