The Almodóvar Gate in Córdoba

The Almodóvar Gate It is the best-preserved of the gates in the walls of Córdoba, and the natural entrance to the Jewish quarter.

It’s free to watch, at any time, and next to it stands a statue with an interesting story behind it.

⚠️ Firstly, the most common misunderstanding

The Almodóvar Gate has nothing to do with Almodóvar del Río Castle.

• The door is within Córdoba, on Calle Cairuán, right next to the Jewish Quarter. It is a gate in the city walls.
• The castle is in Almodóvar del Río, some 23 kilometres away, and is the fortress that appeared in Game of Thrones.

And that’s exactly where the name comes from: The path leading to that village started at this gate.

How to get there

Cairuán Street, in the historic quarter, next to the north-western edge of the Jewish Quarter. The street is also known as «Calle de la Muralla», and you simply need to follow the stone wall to find the door.

• From the Mosque-Cathedral: a few minutes’ walk through the Jewish Quarter.
• From Plaza de las Tendillas: a short walk.
• Useful reference: it is next to the Red Cross hospital and a step away from the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs.

It’s a pedestrian zone, so if you’re coming by car, it’s best to park outside the old town and finish the journey on foot.

History: Córdoba, the city of seven gates

The Islamic medina had seven gates, and the chronicler Ibn Baskuwal He listed them as follows:

• Bab al-Qántara, by the Bridge, in line with the Roman Bridge.
• Bab al-Hadid, del Hierro, also known as de Zaragoza.
• Bab al-Tulaitula, in Toledo, on the site of the ancient Roman gate on the Via Augusta.
• Bab al-Yahud, of the Jews, to the north.
• Bab Amir al-Qurasi, then Puerta de Gallegos.
• Bab Ishbiliya, from Seville.
• Bab al-Yawzthe Puerta del Nogal — this one.

The Arabic name refers to walnut trees which grew in the surrounding area.

From Puerta del Nogal to Puerta de Almodóvar

In 1236, following the Christian conquest, came to be known as Almodóvar after the road that led out of it.

And the door we see today dates from the 14th century, the result of a Christian renovation that altered the original Islamic character of the building. However, it retained two defensive elements: the battlements and the parapet, the parapet walk along the wall.

What’s left of the seven?

It is worth being precise here, as there is a rumour that it is the only one to have survived. It isn’t: there are three left of those seven gates.

• The Almodóvar Gate, the best-preserved one.
• The Bridge Gate.
• The Gate of Seville.

The other four went missing as the city has grown. The fact that this is the best-preserved section is what makes it the best point of reference for visualising the medieval defensive wall.

🔍 What to look for on the door

It is built of ashlar, with a central span between two prismatic towers united by a slightly pointed arch.

Two details that often go unnoticed:

• The battlements are pyramid-shaped, not straight lines.
• The arch is framed by an alfiz, that frame surrounding the arch, which is a hallmark of Al-Andalus architecture.

🗿 The statue of Seneca and who paid for it

Next to the door stands the monument to Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the Stoic philosopher born in Roman Córdoba at the beginning of our era and who died in Rome in the year 65.

And here’s the fact that hardly anyone mentions: The bronze sculpture is by 1965, by Amadeo Ruiz Olmos, y It was paid for by the bullfighter Manuel Benítez, «El Cordobés».

A bullfighter funding a monument to a Stoic philosopher in his town, right in the middle of the 1960s. It’s the sort of detail that says more about Córdoba than many plaques ever could.

What’s nearby

The gate serves as the entrance to the Jewish Quarter, so the natural thing to do is to cross it and carry on.

• The mural on the city wall on Cairuán Street, with its elongated pond and the garden area. It’s one of the quietest spots in the city centre.
• The gardens on Paseo de la Victoria, on the other side.
• Going through the archthe Jewish Quarter: the Synagogue, Calleja de las Flores and the statue of Maimonides in Tiberíades Square.
• Less than ten minutes away, the Mosque-Cathedral and the Roman Bridge.

The entire complex is a World Heritage Site: the Mosque since 1984, and the entire historic centre since 1994.

Travelling from Málaga

We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. Córdoba is best explored in a day:

There is no entrance or opening hours for the door, so it fits in whenever you have some free time. And as it’s on the edge of the Jewish Quarter, it’s a good place to start or finish your walk.

For everyone else: What to see in Córdoba, what to watch for free, the monuments y the courtyards.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Almodóvar Gate the same as Almodóvar Castle?

No. The Puerta de Almodóvar is a gate in the city walls located within Córdoba, on Calle Cairuán, next to the Jewish Quarter. Almodóvar del Río Castle is a fortress situated some 23 kilometres from the capital, which served as a filming location for Game of Thrones. The gate is so named because the road leading to that town began there.

How many gates in the city walls remain in Córdoba?

Three of the seven gates that the Islamic medina once had: the Almodóvar Gate, the Puente Gate and the Sevilla Gate. The Almodóvar Gate is the best-preserved, which is why it is sometimes mistakenly claimed to be the only one still standing.

Why was it called Puerta del Nogal?

Because in Arabic it was known as Bab al-Yawz, referring to the walnut trees that grew in the surrounding area. It changed its name in 1236, following the Christian conquest, when it came to be called Almodóvar after the road leading out of the town towards Almodóvar del Río.

Who paid for the statue of Seneca in Córdoba?

The bullfighter Manuel Benítez, «El Cordobés». The bronze sculpture was erected in 1965; it is the work of Amadeo Ruiz Olmos and is dedicated to the philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca, who was born in Roman Córdoba.

Can you visit the Almodóvar Gate?

It can be viewed from the outside, freely and at any time, with no admission fee or opening hours. It is located in a pedestrianised area, so it is best to walk there. The usual route involves walking along the section of the city wall on Calle Cairuán and passing through the archway into the Jewish Quarter.

Which century does the Almodóvar Gate date from?

The present structure is the result of a 14th-century Christian renovation built over the earlier Islamic gateway. The battlements and the parapet walk – the walkway along the top of the wall – have been preserved from that original phase.