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A new way to begin your visit to Córdoba's Mosque-Cathedral
Historic Patio de San Eulogio unveiled as an immersive welcome space for the city’s most treasured monument
If you are planning a visit to Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral any time soon, your experience will now start a little earlier than before.From Monday February 16, visitors are welcomed first into the Patio de San Eulogio, which has officially opened as the monument’s new Information and Reception Centre, known as the CIR. Set within the southern wing of the Episcopal Palace, directly opposite the western façade of the church, the space has been redesigned to act as a gentle introduction before stepping inside the World Heritage site itself.
Nearly two million people visit the Mosque-Cathedral each year. The idea behind the new centre is simple. As organisers put it, “Before seeing, it is necessary to understand.” Rather than simply ushering visitors straight through the doors, the Cathedral Chapter says the aim is to offer context, not to “sell” the monument, but to help people appreciate its historical, artistic and spiritual journey.
Inside, there are detailed models charting the evolution of the Umayyad mosque, the Caliphate expansion and Almanzor’s intervention, alongside a striking three-metre suspended model. Visitors can explore 3D and 360-degree virtual recreations, step into an immersive audiovisual room and see original pieces that have never been publicly displayed before. Among them are a 10th-century book from the chapter library and an original document from King Ferdinand III the Saint.
The project, which began back in 2013, has now reached completion with the museographic adaptation led by architect Juan Pablo Rodríguez Frade. He explained that the goal was to balance “the building’s historical atmosphere with 21st-century technological resources.”
Accessibility has also been carefully considered, with ramps, lifts and a tactile information point for visually impaired visitors. There is a café, a specialist shop and space for temporary exhibitions, plus a viewpoint offering lovely views across the temple rooftops, the Roman Bridge and the Guadalquivir River.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Bishop of Córdoba, Jesús Fernández, the Dean-President Joaquín Alberto Nieva, Minister Luis Planas, Minister of Culture Patricia del Pozo, Mayor José María Bellido and Provincial Council President Salvador Fuentes. The bishop described the centre as “a preview of a unique experience where faith becomes art,” while the mayor said that understanding heritage is “the first step to loving and protecting it.”
The launch marks a positive new chapter for the monument, which last summer prompted international concern after a fire broke out but was later declared safe. Restoration work has continued steadily since, with the complex previously confirmed to be on course for full restoration by mid 2026.
Now, whether you are visiting for the first time or returning once again, your journey begins with a moment to pause, reflect and truly understand the story behind one of Spain’s most remarkable landmarks.
You might also be interested in: Córdoba, the Spanish city where Islam and Christianity have lived side by side for over a thousand years
Image: Digital Reconstruction
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