Medina Azahara of Córdoba, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

UNESCO has added 19 new sites to the World Heritage List, including the Caliphate City of Medina Azahara (Córdoba, Spain) during its recent 42nd session held in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.

The report prepared ahead of the session includes the evaluation and final conclusions of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Following a comparative analysis conducted both nationally and internationally, the council concluded that, alongside Medina Azahara, only Samarra (Iraq) stands as a well-preserved example of a caliphate city. Furthermore, among all caliphate cities, Medina Azahara is the only one that provides evidence of the culture and knowledge of the Islamic civilization that reached Europe.

At the national level, a comparative analysis was also conducted with other representative sites of Islamic culture, such as the Historic Centre of Córdoba, the Alhambra in Granada, and the Cathedral, Alcázar, and Archivo de Indias in Seville. The analysis concluded that the archaeological site of Medina Azahara is the only remaining example of a large city with preserved archaeological ruins. It is also the oldest of the aforementioned sites, fully representing the Islamic civilization, its early stages, and its cultural influence on the Iberian Peninsula.

Additionally, the International Council on Monuments and Sites highlighted the extraordinary cultural value of Medina Azahara due to the exceptional state of preservation of its ruins. These ruins contain the complete layout of a city, thereby offering an overview of the culture of a vanished civilization at the height of its splendor.

Finally, the report includes a series of recommendations, most notably securing adequate funding for the property and strictly monitoring adjacent vacant urban plots to prevent development or, at least, ensure that any development has a minimal landscape impact. Furthermore, updating and approving the Operational Plan for Medina Azahara is recommended to ensure the preservation of the site.

With the Caliphate City of Medina Azahara, Córdoba now boasts three sites on the World Heritage list, alongside its Historic Centre and the annual Patios Festival, making this city an ideal destination to enjoy its history, culture, gastronomy, and the beauty of its heritage.  

The full report presented at the 42nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is available in both English and French.

With information from UNESCO, El Mundo.