A new study highlights just how advanced the sanitation infrastructure of medieval Córdoba was—so advanced, in fact, that it “would not be surpassed until the twentieth century in Europe.” From sewer networks laid beneath the city’s streets to carefully regulated cesspits and community-led cleaning practices, Córdoba developed a remarkably sophisticated approach to urban hygiene between the 10th and 13th centuries.
Published in Al-Masāq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean, the article by Rafael Blanco-Guzmán and Jesús Atenciano-Crespillo presents findings from over 300 archaeological excavations, combined with historical and legal sources from Islamic al-Andalus. The result is a detailed portrait of a city that invested heavily in cleanliness, not just through infrastructure, but also through civic duty and environmental awareness.
Córdoba’s Caliphal-Era Sewer System
At the centre of this achievement was the city’s sewer network, which served the walled Medina—the heart of Córdoba during its time as the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate. Likely built under ʿAbd al-Rahmān III (912-961) and expanded under Almanzor (978-1002), the system was made of ashlar masonry sealed with lime mortar and covered with stone slabs. Wastewater was channelled through this subterranean infrastructure and discharged into the Guadalquivir River.
“The large-scale design of this extensive network, the types of materials and techniques used, and the complex connections of the channels… involved the intervention of the caliph or someone close to his court,” the authors explain. Unlike improvised or locally maintained drainage systems, this network appears to have been centrally planned—possibly even established as a pious foundation (waqf), ensuring its maintenance across generations.
The system was durable, too. Portions of the original sewer remained in use after the Christian conquest of 1236, and some were still functioning centuries later.
Hygiene at the Household Level
Outside the city centre, sanitation relied on a different but still carefully managed system: cesspits connected to latrines in private homes. These pits were generally shallow—rarely more than two metres deep—and placed at a safe distance from water wells. The authors note that “the soil itself acted as a natural filter to protect the groundwater from impurities,” and it appears that both authorities and residents understood this.
Latrines were common in Andalusī houses by the 10th century, often located near the street to allow waste to flow outward via ceramic drains. In some cases, cesspits were shared between neighbouring homes—typically with permission and often within extended families.
To prevent contamination, residents avoided placing cesspits in closed alleyways unless all neighbours agreed. “Only in cases where no other option was available and/or where all affected homeowners agreed would a septic tank be dug out,” the study notes, citing examples from the town of Siyāsa.
The authors also found that urban planning in some suburban districts included provisions for latrines from the outset—a rare feature in cities of the period.
A Culture of Cleanliness
The sophistication of Córdoba’s sanitation system extended beyond its infrastructure. The study shows that sanitation was a communal responsibility, embedded in both legal norms and social expectations. Residents were responsible for maintaining the areas directly in front of their homes—a practice supported by the Islamic legal concept of fina.
“Each individual will clean what is in front of them,” wrote the 11th-century jurist al-Lakhmī, a rule echoed by Ibn ʿAbdūn in Almoravid Seville. According to Blanco-Guzmán and Atenciano-Crespillo, “the cleanliness of each street depended on the attitude adopted by its residents.”
Municipal officials such as the ṣāḥib al-sūq (“lord of the market”) and the qāḍī (judge) could intervene when necessary, particularly to prevent water contamination or resolve disputes over sanitation practices.
Even cesspit maintenance was regulated. Although cleaning these pits was considered low-status work—often performed by marginalised labourers—it was also well-paid and essential to keeping the city’s sanitation system running smoothly.
A Legacy Worth Remembering
Córdoba’s achievements in sanitation challenge long-standing assumptions about medieval urban hygiene. “The hygienic achievements of al-Andalus, based in neighbourhood solidarity and the oversight of authorities, would not be surpassed until the twentieth century in Europe,” the authors write.
Far from being incidental, sanitation in Córdoba was a product of deliberate planning, legal oversight, architectural foresight, and public cooperation. It reveals a medieval city not only invested in beauty, learning, and commerce, but also in the health and cleanliness of everyday life.
The article, “Urban Sanitation in al-Andalus: The Case of Qurṭuba (Tenth to Thirteenth Century),” by Rafael Blanco-Guzmán and Jesús Atenciano-Crespillo, is published in the latest issue of Al-Masāq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean. Click here to access it.
Rafael Blanco-Guzmán is a faculty member at the Universidad de Córdoba. Jesús Atenciano-Crespillo is a post-doctoral fellow at the same university.
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