The truth is that, with the start of its construction, Abderramán III, prince of the believers, was fulfilling his obligation, as a good ruler, to create a city of splendour after having proclaimed himself Caliph and after having pacified al-Andalus (Martínez Enamorado, 2001). Accordingly, the city was built as the centre of government, political, and military power in the Cordoba of the Umayyads, the peak of Western Islamic civilisation in al-Andalus (UNESCO, 2018).

After the death of al-Hakam II in 976, court factions had conspired to place his son Hisham II, whose 11 years of age precluded a minor from becoming Caliph, according to the rules of Islamic law (Manzano Moreno, 2024). This situation was exploited by the ambitious administrative official, Muhammad ibn Abi Amir (known as Almanzor), who seized absolute control of power.

Although Hishan II was recognised as Caliph, he spent much of his life secluded within the walls of Medina Azahara, isolated and with little contact with his subjects. It was Almanzor who truly held power and, through his policies, altered the foundations of the Caliphate of Cordoba, ultimately leading to its demise in 1031 (Manzano Moreno, 2024).

Although Hishan II was recognised as Caliph, he spent much of his life secluded within the walls of Medina Azahara, isolated and with little contact with his subjects. It was Almanzor who truly held power and, through his policies, altered the foundations of the Caliphate of Cordoba, ultimately leading to its demise in 1031 (Manzano Moreno, 2024).

The remains of Medina Azahara fell into oblivion for more than a thousand years, until their rediscovery by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, who was appointed Delegate-Director of the excavations that were to be carried out at the expense of the Spanish State in the ruins of the palaces of Medina Azahara (Velázquez Bosco, 1923).

Since 2018, the Caliphate city of Medina Azahara has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (UNESCO, 2018).

Today it is an archaeological site, whose itinerary begins at the northern wall walkway, where there is a viewpoint from which you can see the Caliphate city and the surrounding area, following a route that goes from the upper to the lower part of the city (Museos de Andalucía, Conjunto Arqueológico de Medina Azahara, 2025) and which allows the visitor to approach what must have been the design, spaces and rooms of Medina Azahara in its period of maximum splendour.

The archaeological site also has a museum that opened to the public in 2019, as well as various infrastructures for the management of its heritage, which opened to the public in October 2009 (Museos de Andalucía, Conjunto Arqueológico de Medina Azahara, 2025) and which is the starting point for a visit to the archaeological site. The museum has different areas: a cultural, exhibition and didactic area, a conservation and research area and other services.