Córdoba (Umayyad Caliphate)

Timeline

1. 756–784Old city core of Córdoba · AndalusiaAbd al-Rahman I founded the Umayyad emirate and established Córdoba as its capital, introducing Islamic administrative and market layouts onto the base of the old Roman and Visigothic city; in 784 he rebuilt the Great Mosque of Córdoba on this site, establishing a religious and urban landmark.
2. 822–852Great Mosque of Córdoba and market district · AndalusiaAbd al-Rahman II expanded the nave and arcades of the Great Mosque and improved the aqueduct system and public baths; the city attracted Muslim, Christian, and Jewish scholars, becoming one of the most prosperous centers of scholarship and handicrafts in Western Europe in the 9th century.
3. 852–900Alcazar palace district, Córdoba · AndalusiaMuhammad I built the Alcazar fortress and strengthened the city's defenses; in the second half of the 9th century Córdoba's population exceeded 100,000, with palaces and suburban villas everywhere, but court coups and local rebellions loomed, foreshadowing the redistribution of power before the elevation to a caliphate in the 10th century.