The monument's new Information and Reception Center (CIR) has been well-received in its initial months, attracting over 232,000 visitors by the end of May. This center, located next to the Mosque-Cathedral, serves as a meeting point and provides pre-visit information for tourists.
José Juan Jiménez Güeto, canon responsible for Communication at the Cathedral Chapter of Cordoba, stated that the Mosque-Cathedral has felt the impact of the high-speed rail crisis. The interruption of service between Madrid and Seville, passing through Cordoba, from January 18th and the subsequent impact on the Madrid-Malaga line until April, has been identified as the primary cause for this decline.
The CIR, inaugurated in mid-January, features on-site ticket sales, a cafeteria, and restrooms, enhancing the visitor experience. Despite the lack of extensive external promotion, the center has exceeded initial expectations.
The positive figures from the CIR stand in contrast to the visitor numbers for the Mosque-Cathedral itself during the first semester. The Cathedral Chapter will soon release official figures, but an estimated 89,000 fewer visitors are recorded, representing a 7% decrease compared to the same period last year.
