ancient ruins
Medina Azahara
The excavated ruins of a 10th-century caliphal palace-city outside Córdoba, a sprawling UNESCO archaeological wonder.
5 km · about 10 min drive
Andalusia, Spain · Europe
Villarrubia is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Guadalcázar, 5km from Medina Azahara.
Villarrubia is a town located in Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 2,893, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Villarrubia sits in Spain, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Madrid time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Villarrubia to your route.
Madinat al-Zahra or Medina Azahara (Arabic: مدينة الزهراء, romanized: Madīnat az-Zahrāʾ, lit. 'the radiant city') was a fortified palace-city on the western outskirts of Córdoba in present-day Spain. Its remains are a major archaeological site today. The city was built in the 10th century by Abd ar-Rahman IIIRead more
(912–961), a member of the Umayyad dynasty and the first caliph of Al-Andalus. It served as the capital of the Caliphate of Córdoba and its center of government.
The main reason for its construction was politico-ideological: Abd ar-Rahman III had declared himself "caliph" in 929 and the dignity of this new title required the establishment of a new city, a symbol of his power, imitating eastern caliphates. It sought to demonstrate his superiority over his great rivals, the Fatimid Caliphs of Ifriqiya in North Africa and the Abbasid Caliphs in Baghdad. The city was built near Córdoba, the existing capital of al-Andalus under Umayyad rule. Construction began in 936–940 and continued in multiple phases throughout his reign and the reign of his son, Al-Hakam II (r. 961–976). The new city included ceremonial reception halls, a congregational mosque, administrative and government offices, aristocratic residences, gardens, a mint, workshops, barracks, service quarters, and baths. Water was supplied through aqueducts. After al-Hakam II's death, however, the city ceased to act as the center of government under the rule of Ibn Abi Amir al-Mansur (Almanzor). In 978–9, al-Mansur began construction of his own palace-city, the similarly-named Madinat al-Zahira, to replace it in this role. Between 1010 and 1013, Madinat al-Zahra was sacked during a civil war and thereafter abandoned, with many of its materials re-used elsewhere.
The ruins of the city were excavated starting in 1911. Only about 10 hectares of the 112 hectares (0.43 sq mi) of the city have been excavated and partially restored, but this area includes the main palaces. A dedicated archeological museum, located on the edge of the site, was opened in 2009. On July 1, 2018, the site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the inscription name "Caliphate City of Medina Azahara".
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Villarrubia is located in Andalusia, Spain, Europe. The coordinates are 37.8500 latitude, -4.9000 longitude.
Villarrubia has a population of approximately 2,893 people, making it a town in Spain.
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Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for Spain2 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
The excavated ruins of a 10th-century caliphal palace-city outside Córdoba, a sprawling UNESCO archaeological wonder.
5 km · about 10 min drive
cathedral
A mesmerizing forest of red-and-white arches blending Islamic and Christian architecture over 1,000 years of history.
11 km · about 20 min drive
April to October
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