Córdoba is a historic city in Andalusia, situated on the banks of the River Guadalquivir, where the fertile valley meets the foothills of the Sierra Morena. Its vernacular architecture is characterised by whitewashed houses, narrow winding streets, enclosed patios, tiled courtyards and decorative Moorish details. The extraordinary Mezquita-Catedral is the city’s defining monument, while the Roman Bridge, Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, Medina Azahara and the old Jewish Quarter add to its remarkable architectural heritage. The surrounding countryside is dominated by olive groves, vineyards, cereal cultivation and citrus orchards, with the fertile Guadalquivir valley supporting more intensive agriculture. What makes Córdoba different from similar Andalusian cities is the exceptional legacy of its period as the capital of Islamic al-Andalus, particularly the Mezquita, where Islamic and Christian architecture exist within the same extraordinary building.