Caliphate City of Medina Azahara

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The Caliphate City of Medina Azahara: A Window into the Golden Age of Al-Andalus

The Caliphate City of Medina Azahara, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, offers a captivating glimpse into the opulence and grandeur of the Western Islamic civilization during the Golden Age of Al-Andalus. Situated on the western outskirts of modern-day Córdoba, Spain, this archaeological marvel stands as a testament to the architectural prowess, cultural richness, and political might of the Umayyad dynasty.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The Caliphate city of Medina Azahara is an archaeological site of a city built in the mid-10th century CE by the Umayyad dynasty as the seat of the Caliphate of Cordoba. After prospering for several years, it was laid to waste during the civil war that put an end to the Caliphate in 1009-1010. The remains of the city were forgotten for almost 1,000 years until their rediscovery in the early 20th century. This complete urban ensemble features infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water systems, buildings, decorative elements and everyday objects. It provides in-depth knowledge of the now vanished Western Islamic civilization of Al-Andalus, at the height of its splendour.

Encyclopedia Record: Madinat al-Zahra

Madinat al-Zahra or Medina Azahara 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 III (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.

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