Cardeña is a municipality in the province of Córdoba, in the Andalusia region of southern Spain. It lies within the comarca (district) of Los Pedroches, in the northern part of the province, a region characterised by open pastureland known as dehesa.
The municipality is best known for the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña, a historic Cistercian abbey situated a few kilometres from the village. The monastery is closely associated with the legendary hero El Cid, who was buried there, and it remains a site of both religious and historical significance.