Calleja de las Flores, a hidden treasure in Córdoba

We rate the calleja de las Flores a hidden treasure in Córdoba because it is one of those lesser known places that are in all the tourist cities. These have numerous points of interest and, for the uninformed traveler, those little corners full of charm are left out.

Because Cordova It has so many monuments listed as World Heritage that it will be impossible for you to see them all in a few days. We don't need to mention the Mosque or Roman bridge, but it has many more. Later we will talk about some of them. However, it also owns this city in Andalusia typical streets that will fascinate you One of them is the alley of flowers, a hidden treasure of Córdoba, truly.

Where is the Calleja de las Flores

This beautiful street is in the middle of historic helmet of the Cordoba city, precisely, declared a World Heritage Site. Narrow and pedestrian, it is accessed from the Velázquez Bosco street and has no way out. It ends in an octagonal-shaped courtyard adorned with a typical fountain.

It is located just behind the famous Patio de los Naranjos, belonging to the Mosque. Therefore, it is also close to the aforementioned Roman bridge, the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs, Archaeological Museum and to the Victoria market. But it is also close to another popular street in the city that is equally typical and that we cannot resist describing to you.

We refer to the Alley of the Scarf, which is one of the narrowest in Europe, with barely fifty centimeters. In fact, its name comes from the fact that this was the size of the ancient handkerchiefs that men wore on the lapel of their suits. However, its real name is Pedro Jimenez street, in honor of this soldier from the Thirds of Flanders who brought the grape variety of this name to Andalusia. Calleja del Pañuelo also ends at a small dead-end square, but now we must return to Calleja de las Flores, which is the protagonist of this article.

A Little History

Calleja de las Flores was what the people of Cordoba call a sugar, that is to say, a blind alley that ended in a neighborhood patio. This was becoming one more street. And already in the fifties of the last century, the mayor Alfonso Cruz Conde launched a campaign to beautify typical corners of Córdoba.

One of the chosen ones was, precisely, this alley. The reform of it was undertaken shortly after, already under the mayor's office of Antonio Cruz Conde, brother of the previous one. The work was entrusted to the architect Victor Escribano Ucelay. He designed the small arches that adorn it and replaced the cement floor with another of rounded pebbles.

Likewise, he placed a Caliphate capital at the entrance and asked the residents to decorate their homes with pots of flowers. It is true that he did not really need to insist, because they already did it on their own initiative. Many of them came from places like La Carlota, one of the great centers of floral cultivation in the province of Córdoba.

Finally, on the advice of Raphael Bernier, professor at the school of fine arts and inhabitant of the alley, placed the octagonal fountain at the bottom of the street. Next to it, an old roman column from the time of the emperor Adriano. It was already in 1960 and, since then, Calleja de las Flores has become one of the most photographed places in the Caliphal City.

How is the Calleja de las Flores, the hidden treasure of Córdoba

We have baptized Calleja de las Flores as a hidden treasure of Córdoba, first of all, for its beauty and typical air. But also because, if you don't know the area, you could pass by without entering it. Fortunately it is well signposted.

Also, it would be a shame if you didn't visit this beauty that was chosen as the most beautiful street in Spain by the magazine trends. Furthermore, the prestigious urban planning magazine Architectural Digest rated her as one of the most beautiful in the world, on a par with places like Notting Hill in London, Burano in Venice or Montmartre in Paris.

Despite its small dimensions, it will not disappoint you. It is a narrow stone-floored passage framed by bright white houses which are adorned with pots of beautiful flowers and small arches. And, as we told you, it ends in a small square where the fountain is and, around it, groups of geraniums and exuberant carnations. Along with these species you will also see bougainvillea, South African gypsy or petunias in a true sea of ​​colors and aromas.

Many of the houses that make up Calleja de las Flores used to be homes, but today they have become stores remembrances where you can buy a souvenir of your visit. But, above all, we recommend that you pay attention to a detail that, by the way, is the most photographed on that street. we talk about the image of the beautiful tower of the Mosque that can be seen between the houses themselves.

In addition, Calleja de las Flores always has a surprise for you. You can find in this the essence of popular Córdoba, even meeting a guitarist. But you can also enjoy an atmosphere of maximum relaxation to rest after many visits. And above all, its reflections change color depending on the time of day. It is not surprising that it is one of the most photographed and appreciated in the city.

So that you can see that the people of Cordoba also consider Calleja de las Flores a hidden treasure in Córdoba, we show you what an anonymous poet wrote about her. His words were: «Calleja de las Flores of soul and charm. My beloved Córdoba and her multiple cloaks that cover my being of peace and encounter with the place where I was born ».

What is the best time to visit Calleja de las Flores

Given the mild weather in Córdoba, any time is a good time to visit Calleja de las Flores. However, it is always better that you do it in spring, when nature (also flowers) are at their maximum exuberance.

But we still want to make our recommendation more precise. If you are passionate about flowers and the strength of nature, visit it when the Feast of the Patios of Córdoba. It is a contest for which residents from different areas of the city decorate their patios with floral motifs, giving them a wonderful appearance. And, of course, Calleja de las Flores cannot be absent from the event. Since 2012 it has held the distinction of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

What to see around the alley

We have already shown you everything you need to know to visit Calleja de las Flores, a hidden treasure in Córdoba. But we would be doing you a disservice if we ended this article without telling you about what you can see around this little pathway. Because the Caliphal City is a marvel of monuments and beauty that you will never tire of touring. And the street that concerns us is located in the old part of the town, all of it declared Heritage by Unesco.

The Mosque

Right next door you have the famous cathedral mosque, undoubtedly the maximum symbol of Córdoba. According to traditional history, it was built in the XNUMXth century where the Hispano-Roman basilica of San Vicente Mártir was located. During the Caliphate it was enlarged to reach almost twenty-four thousand square meters, which made it the second largest in the world at that time after that of Mecca.

It would then be overtaken by the Blue Mosque de Türkiye, but, in any case, it is, next to the Alhambra of Granada, the best example of Umayyad Hispano-Muslim art. Likewise, already in Christian times other elements were added, such as the plateresque-style church, the work of Hernan Ruiz. Overall, they also highlight the Patio de los Naranjos, the Renaissance bell tower built taking advantage of the old minaret and its many doors and balconies.

On the other hand, inside you should pay attention to the hypostyle hall, famous for its sea of ​​arches and columns; the spectacular retrochoir and transept, as well as the no less impressive choir. But also in older elements, although no less beautiful. For example, the maqsura or space reserved for the caliph for his prayers.

Other monuments near Calleja de las Flores

It is also very close to Calleja de las Flores, another of the symbols of Córdoba. We talk about his famous Roman bridge, built in the first century after Christ. It is a formidable engineering work that measures 331 meters in length and has 16 arches (originally, there were seventeen).

Likewise, on one of its sides and in front of a wonderful viewpoint, is the so-called bridge gate, which is one of the three that remain from the old city walls. It dates from the XNUMXth century and is in the Renaissance style. Instead, on the other side of the bridge is the Calahorra tower, an authentic Islamic fortress whose mission was to protect the pass.

As you will understand, we could continue talking about everything to see in the vicinity of Calleja de las Flores. We have already mentioned the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs, with its museum, but you also have the synagogue, the set of fernandina churches o Palaces as spectacular as those of Viana, La Merced, Orive and the Marquises del Carpio.

In conclusion, now you know why we rate the calleja de las Flores a hidden treasure in Córdoba. But you have also been able to see that this is just one of the wonders that the beautiful city of Andalusia. Go ahead and visit it, it never disappoints.