It has been 30 years since Unesco extended the recognition of the Mosque to the entire historic complex of the Medina.
On January 20, 1973, Triunfo magazine published an article written by renowned psychiatrist Carlos Castilla del Pino, titled with a dramatic invocation: “Hurry to see Córdoba”. The page was headed by a photograph of the Palace of the Viscount of Miranda, a symbol of the decay of the historic center. Cars and vans crowded against the crumbling facade of the old building, from which hung a sorrowful sign: “Sale of apartments, garages, and commercial premises”. Castilla’s article was a cry for help, an emergency warning about the imminent deterioration and loss of Córdoba’s architectural heritage in the face of advancing modernization. The beautiful Andalusian city, capital of Baetica and Al-Andalus, home to one of the most impressive historic centers in Europe, was languishing, a victim of an accelerated process of demolition. Like many Spanish cities, modernity was invading the historic core, driven by the demolition of stately homes, the influx of motor vehicles, the disappearance of communal courtyards, and massive depopulation.
Eleven years remained before the Mosque of Córdoba would receive the highest heritage recognition in the world. On November 2, 1984, UNESCO included it in the World Heritage list due to its exceptional nature and as a unique example of Islamic architecture. Although UNESCO recognized the singularity of the Mosque, its declaration also highlighted the undeniable relevance of the urban context in which it stood. This was reflected in Criterion III: “It is the irreplaceable testimony of the civilization of the Caliphate of Córdoba (929-1031), which made this city, with its 300 mosques and countless palaces, a rival to Constantinople and Baghdad.”
This brief paragraph planted the seed for the future expansion of the UNESCO designation to include the historic center of Córdoba. Ten years later, during the 18th session of the UNESCO General Assembly, held in Phuket on December 15, 1994, the inclusion of the Historic Ensemble of Córdoba in the World Heritage list was confirmed under code 313 bis.
Córdoba experienced a monumental leap. The recognition of the Mosque as a universal monument evolved into the declaration of a central part of the old town as an area of Outstanding Universal Value. Few cities in the world have achieved such cultural prestige. Almost none have a UNESCO-protected area as extensive as Córdoba, with 80 hectares and about thirty monuments within its boundaries. The new heritage declaration reexamined the urban layout and its extraordinary values. UNESCO certified that “The Historic Ensemble of Córdoba reflects thousands of years of occupation by various cultural groups—Romans, Visigoths, Muslims, Jews, and Christians—who left their mark.”
The protected area is defined by the ancient Roman villa, nearly coinciding with the Islamic medina, bordered to the east by Feria Street, to the south by the Guadalquivir River, and to the north by the modern urban area. The western boundary includes the Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs and the San Basilio neighbourhood, a perimeter somewhat different from the one identified by the city council in 1912 as the “traditional area,” and which was included in the National Artistic Heritage catalogue in 1929.
In the 1984 tribute, the Andalusian features of the Mosque were exalted, but now the international organization extended its recognition to the cultural melting pot that has shaped Córdoba’s hybrid identity over the centuries. The remarkable monument is now officially referred to as the Mosque-Cathedral, in acknowledgment of its interreligious fusion. Other urban values were also highlighted, which would later earn Córdoba another impressive international recognition. “The communal houses built around interior courtyards (casa-patio) are the best example of Cordoban homes. They are of Roman origin with an Andalusian touch.”
Despite the growing deterioration of the old town detected in recent decades, UNESCO emphasized the reasonable harmony of its urban layout. “The Historic Center of Córdoba maintains its material integrity, and there are no elements that threaten it.” It added: “The urban landscape has preserved its unique authenticity. There is still a high level of traditions and construction techniques, location, and environment, which are reflected in the presence of urban areas, historic buildings, the image, and the treatment of public spaces.”
In that same December of 1994, two other Andalusian sites were also recognized by UNESCO. The Doñana National Park was added to the World Heritage list for the first time, while the Alhambra in Granada extended its protected space to include the Albaicín neighbourhood, in a case similar to Córdoba. The mayor, Herminio Trigo, embraced the international distinction as a “well-deserved reward” for the heritage and historical merits of the former Andalusian capital.
Between Castilla del Pino’s article and the 1994 declaration, not only had 21 years passed, but also a profound political, social, and generational transformation had taken place. The historic center was no longer seen as an obstacle to progress but as a valuable asset worthy of protection, with immense cultural, tourist, and economic potential. Three years later, a decisive project was undertaken. The Urban River Plan (Plan Urban Ribera), with a community investment of 10 million euros, revitalized one of the most degraded areas of the historic center, boosted the local economy, and curbed the exodus. For the first time in many decades, the tide began to turn.
At the dawn of the third millennium, Córdoba’s future brightened with renewed hope. The renovation of Plaza de la Corredera, the Río Plan, and the Special Plan for the Historic Center—backed by significant financial investments—breathed new life into Córdoba’s old heart, which had shown signs of exhaustion. Over the past three decades, despite a worrisome trend of increasing service sector dominance, numerous dilapidated houses have been restored, and a population in a clear state of aging has been reactivated.
The UNESCO recognition elevated Córdoba to the cultural pantheon of the world, but it also imposed a burden of responsibility. Herminio Trigo himself acknowledged this on that unforgettable December 15, 1994: “The declaration obliges us to greater vigilance and care in maintaining the Historic Complex.” In part, this objective has been achieved. The decline the old town was experiencing in the 1970s was halted and even reversed. The UNESCO label granted Córdoba international prestige and a steadily increasing influx of tourism, which, ironically, has now become a double-edged sword.
Tourism has undeniably revitalized an area that had sunk into a dark hole just forty years ago. However, it has also brought about new, unanticipated threats, at least not with the intensity they have today. Let’s look at the numbers. In 1980, Córdoba welcomed 322,000 hotel visitors. Twenty years later, in 2000, that number had risen to 866,000. By 2023, it surpassed 1.1 million.
The explosion of tourism is evident. The number of hotel rooms has skyrocketed over the past four decades. In 1991, a year before the AVE high-speed train was introduced, Córdoba had 2,471 hotel rooms. Just nine years later, the city had 4,791, and today that figure is nearing 7,500, not counting the unstoppable rise of short-term rental properties.
The ambivalence of tourism’s impact is clear. “Before, many buildings were vacant and abandoned. Thanks to tourism, that trend has reversed,” admits Rosa Lara, a municipal architect and one of the foremost experts on the UNESCO dossier. However, the Historic Center has also experienced a significant wave of gentrification, service-sector conversion, and speculative practices, leading to a “distortion in housing use” and fueling a “vicious cycle” that has become a common issue in heritage cities across Spain, Europe, and the world.
This dynamic has triggered a new demographic exodus from the historic center, driven by very different causes than those of the 1970s. To counteract this, experts recommend more public intervention. Rosa Lara also advocates for municipal measures to “rebalance” the uses of the Historic Center. The Córdoba brand attracts investment funds that, slowly but steadily, are acquiring housing and commercial properties for economic exploitation.
Despite these challenges, the UNESCO designation is not at risk. There is evident concern among the organization’s experts—shared by many World Heritage cities—and management plans are being developed, like the one Córdoba has been working on in recent months. The goal is to harmonize the various interests at play (touristic, economic, and social) so that the uses remain compatible and the historic center does not become a mere lifeless backdrop.
The challenge is significant. Córdoba has secured its place in the UNESCO global pantheon. It boasts a fascinating history filled with singular events that have shaped the Mediterranean’s course, and its monumental old town is testament to this. Now, it must find the right balance to ensure that this privileged heritage does not become an unexpected burden.
Aristóteles Moreno
UNESCO World Heritage
Historic Center of Cordoba
