Medina Azahara

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Medina Azahara

• By Scott Kegerreis

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Medina Azahara

• City built by Abd al-Rahman
• 5 miles from Cordoba
• Its Arabic name is Madinat al-Zahra
• Built around 940

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Why it was Built?

• Abd ar-Rahman wanted to show his power and
  dominance
• Wanted travelers to be astonished at palaces and
  treasures
• Some say he built the entire thing for a woman/
  statue over the entrance
• Most likely it was for political reasons

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Medina Azahara

• Once full of marble and precious metals
• Silver-leafed olive groves everywhere
• Horses drank out of marble fountains.
• Caliph had a beautiful view of Cordoba and valley

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War

• Civil war broke out and a mob burned down a lot
  of the city.
• Over years of abandonment mud from the valleys
  fell on to the city and covered it.
• It existed for 65 years
• Buried for 9 centuries

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Today

• They have began excavating and have only finished
  10 percent of it
• They have fixed up the Caliphs palace and a
  mosque
• Also a garden next to the mosque that had pools,
  fountains, cages of wild animals, and exotic birds

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Sweet Information

• Most take bus ride over. If want to walk from
  Cordoba it will take about an hour
• No hotel close but there is a restaurant called
  Cruce
• Entrance fee costs 5 euro
• Best time to go is in March, April, or October to
  beat heat and crowds.

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