The San Eulogio Courtyard, where the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba Visitor and Information Centre is located, occupies the south part of the Episcopal Palace in the heart of the city’s old quarter, opposite the west facade of the Mosque-Cathedral.
This enclave on the banks of the River Guadalquivir preserves the traces of successive cultures, having been a port building in Roman times, the Visigothic palace of King Roderick and a core element of the fortress in the days of the Caliphate. After the Christian conquest it was reborn as the office of the episcopal see, undergoing a transformation in the Gothic style and finally acquiring the Renaissance appearance that defines its identity today.
The aim of the project was to enrich the visitor experience through a preliminary itinerary that would serve as an introduction to the tour of the Mosque-Cathedral itself. It is therefore informative, interactive and accessible adapted to the new technologies.
The centre offers a comprehensive approach to the most important monument of the Western Islamic world, combining the presentation of its history and cultural evolution with the necessary services to efficiently manage the needs of visitors, whose numbers exceed 1.5 million per year.
Empty was commissioned to coordinate the project from the award of the contract, developing, producing and executing all phases. The most significant parts of its brief included the adaptation of the architectural spaces and the fabrication of the new finishes; extension of the facilities and reintegration of archaeological remains; and provision of the infrastructure in the non-exhibition public areas (reception, auditorium and toilets).
Empty was also responsible for the development and production of the exhibition resources that crystallise the contents on display in the permanent galleries on the ground and first floors: scale models, AV material and graphic elements, and implementation of the works associated with the exhibition.
