Gardens in Cordoba

Almost every home in Cordoba takes pride in their private patio. Creating a visual flora feast. © Michelle Chaplow .
Almost every home in Cordoba takes pride in their private patio. Creating a visual flora feast.

The diversity of types and styles of gardens in Córdoba and province is the most remarkable in Andalucia.

Córdoba City

In the City of Córdoba is found the oldest walled garden in Europe, the orange grove beside the Mosque dating from the 8th century. Gardens from the times of the Caliphs found in the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos are with the characteristic terraced pools.

The palace of the Prince of Viana has 14 patios and a garden covering the Renaissance and the Baroque periods which have been restored by the owners at the beginning of the century. The garden features citrus trees, date palms and rose bushes. The Patio de la Madama is the oldest part and has a small temple in the centre formed by an arch and clipped cypresses around the figure of a woman.

There are also some good examples of 19th century gardens such as La Victoria and La Agricultura the latter with a large quantity of plane trees and pines.

The landscaped park Cruz Conde was opened during this century together with the Gardens of Colon, of the Faculty of Veterinarians, Colegio Mayor Nuestra Sra. De la Asunción. The Zoo and Botanical gardens has three greenhouses with plants found in the peninsular and an area devoted to plants useful to man from several parts of the world. There is also a curious garden for the blind containing aromatic plants with labels in Braille.

Córdoba city's Patios

In the old part of town especially in Juderia, there are some wonderful patios. Since early times the focal point and the social life of the Mediterranean house has revolved around the central patio. Córdoba city as a great tradition of decorating the patios with lots of flowers in plant pots most patios belonging to private houses so can only be visited in May when they are open for the famous Patios Festival Competition. Patios worth visiting are those belonging to the Bullfighting Museum, the Archaeological Museum and also the Plaza of San Andres.

Just outside Cordoba City

Gardens from the times of the Caliphs are found in the ruins of the huge palace of Medina-Azahara located to the west of the city.

Click here to read an article on Palace of Medina-Azahara in the Andalucia Magazine.

The Alameda del Obispo (the bishops avenue) which is situated quite near the town includes a Baroque maze restored during this century.

Province of Córdoba

The ducal palace at Fernan Nunez has an attractive Baroque terraced Hispano-Arabic garden with garden orchard.

On the road to Posadas there is the garden of Mortarella, largely designed by Forestier where entrance is gained through a large iron grille opening onto a wide avenue in the style of the French chateaux. There are some enormous plane trees over a large part of the garden with several characteristic fountains, with the garden tables and benches made of brick and glazed tiles.

To the south in Cabra, the Alcantara Romero Park is a good example of a 19th century public garden and around the source of the Cabra River, La Fuente del Rio Park is also interesting.

Near Priego, there is La Fuente del Rey, a baroque monument with a garden laid out in the style of the 19th century.

Destinations

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