Statue of Spanish King Alfonso X El Sabio in the entrance to the Alcazar of the Christian Kings. The Alcazar’s grounds are covered in the historical footprints of the Spanish Empire. It was home to monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. These Catholic monarchs lived in the castle for eight years, using it as a base of operations during the re-conquest of Granada.It was in the Alcázar that Christopher Columbus first pitched his voyage for a western route to India.Before the castle was reconstructed in its current iteration, it was the site of a Visigoth fortress. Later, when the Moors conquered Córdoba, they razed the fortress and converted the grounds to a palace. As the Caliphate of Córdoba flourished, the Alcazar expanded to include gardens, bathhouses and the largest library in Europe.