Villafranca de Córdoba, Spain
Madinat al-Zahira
Madinat al-Zâhira was the fortified palace-city and residence of Almanzor, the vizier of Hisham II, and his sons, who effectively ruled the Caliphate of Córdoba from 978 to 1009. Constructed to the east of Córdoba, the city was intended to rival and undermine the authority of the caliph by competing with Madinat al-Zahra, the caliph's palatine city to the west. Fortified to withstand potential uprisings or attacks from the caliph, Madinat al-Zâhira was established around 975 and foreshadowed the Andalusian civil war, which led to its destruction in 1011 and contributed to the collapse of the caliphate in 1031.
- City
- Villafranca de Córdoba
- Country
- Spain
- Category
- Historic
- Suggested visit
- About 90 minutes
Background: Wikipedia