My visit to the Calahorra Tower Museum in Córdoba was honestly such a great experience. From the moment I entered, the staff were kind and welcoming. One of them even greeted me with a few words in Arabic, which was really cool. They also offered these little hearing walkie-talkies that play the museum guide in different languages, so it’s easy to understand everything no matter where you’re from.
Once inside, I was blown away by how much amazing knowledge there was about the Arabs and Muslims during the time of Al-Andalus. The museum is full of displays that show just how advanced Muslim civilization was in science, medicine, astronomy, and so many other fields.
One of the highlights was learning about a Muslim doctor named Al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis), he was the first in the world to develop advanced surgery techniques and even invented tools that are still used in modern medicine today. That alone shows how far ahead they were for their time.
There were also incredible exhibits on Muslim contributions to astronomy. One scientist had even figured out how to calculate your exact location on Earth, using tools and techniques that were revolutionary. I saw displays of real medical instruments, scientific scripts, and even astronomical tools that reflected the genius of the time.
Another thing that amazed me was a large, beautiful world map, drawn by a Muslim geographer, which was one of the first and most accurate maps of the world in history. It was incredibly detailed and showed how much effort Muslim scientists put into understanding the Earth and beyond.
The museum also had representations of buildings, scholars, and everyday life, which really helped show how Córdoba was once the center of science, knowledge, and culture in the entire world. It wasn’t just a powerful city, it was a place where learning and...
Read moreThe Calahorra Tower: A symbol of Protection
Sitting at the foot of the Roman Bridge, archeologist believes that the Arabs built the Calahorra Tower. It appears that at time there were two towers. Now, I am giving you a very interesting fact. Legend says that the Tower as we see it today is a legacy of the dispute between two brothers. Apparently in the 14th century Enrique II ordered the modifications to defend the City against the attacks from his brother Pedro or Peter I, “The Cruel.” The function of the tower was primarily defensive and although the size might make you wonder, it is a very strong tower. Think about, it has standing for many centuries. The primary goal of the tower allowed for strong walls, small walking lanes and also room to positioned cannons and other armoire. Though this attraction is not really sought by tourist, you can visit the most popular one, The Roman Bridge and also visited the Calahorra Tower at the same time. And if you still have energy the Al-Andalus living Museum is small jewel to explore!
You should know that the Tower has different hours in the winter and summer. In the winter opens from 10:00 to 18:00 PM and in the summer they also open in the afternoons from 16:30 to 20:30. The cost is approximate 4 and half Euros.
Spend time at the Tower and then walk to one of the many restaurants in the area. You should eat some of that good Cordoba fare…it is just like the City, a beautiful combination of amazing and tasteful flavors!...
Read moreThe audio guide is a menace. Firstly, it comes on automatically in some rooms nd you my have to wait for 10 minutes for it to loop around. You cannot start from the start it just runs from where you enter the room. It's terrible. Secondly, there is too much music. 1 minute of music or chanting before the explanation starts meaning that groups of confused people are standing about waiting and blocking the entrances and exhibits.
Very little information about the Jewish community is provided unless I missed something like a whole floor perhaps... The whole thing was very light on facts and heavy on faux philosophy and religious incantations.
I got more from the Wikipedia page than from the museum itself. The model of the mesquita is interesting but I was left bemused given that the real mesquita is literally 100m away. Why would you want to see a model when you can....Never mind. Well, overall it was very disappointing and it was amazed to see how well it had been received by reviewers but I was amazed how many actually hadn't gone in!
It could be good but it really isn't now.
Save your 4.5 EUR and head to the mesquita instead. Take pictures of the tower. Don't waste your...
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