Jardines del Alcázar (The Gardens of the Alcazar), Cordoba

In the 10th century, Abd ar-Rahman III built an aqueduct. There was an operative waterwheel, or noria, nearby. He planted gardens and orchards supplied with water from the river via a complex irrigation system.

In the 16th century, Queen Isabella ordered the noria to stop. Perhaps it made noise. At any rate, the neglected gardens declined. Come the 20th century, a major renovation and remodeling of what was left of the gardens took place. The resurrected garden was smaller than the original historical area due to road construction along the sides.

The gardens are comprised of 55,000 square meters of palms, cypresses, and orange and lemon trees amid several elegant fountains and ponds. The setup is on three levels: upper, middle, and lower. The upper level is by the Tower of Lions.

The middle level has a grand staircase and two large pools. The lower level has three pools, manicured gardens, the Promenade of Kings, and statues of Christopher Columbus and his patrons, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella.