Historical Cordoba

This is the next instalment of Ann’s blog, read The people you meet, Fabulous football in Barcelona,  Barcelona and Reims and a dud hotel for her previous updates. 

Our hotel is right opposite La Mezquita. In the old city. The narrow streets are cobblestone. Huge wooden gates protect internal courtyards. It’s very quaint and wonderful to wander around. All of this is preserved due to tourism. Restaurants abound and you can get tapas or a meal any time of day – we ate about 10.30 last night and 2.30 this afternoon. Even here though, there’s Subway and BurgerKing, yuk!

The interior of La Mezquita, Cordoba is the reason we came to this city. Absolutely amazing. The Great Mosque/Cordoba Cathedral is one of the world’s architectural wonders. Archaeological excavations show layer upon layer of ancient cathedrals. In the year 758 the Muslim conquerer, Abd-ar-Rahman, bought the Christian church that stood here, demolished it and built the mosque featuring the arches shown below, apparently reminiscent of a forest of palm trees. His heirs added extensions and Cordoba was the capital of the Islamic territory of Al-Andalusia. At its height, the mosque accommodated 15,000 of the faithful. In 1236 King Ferdinand III, reconquered Cordoba and built an equally amazing cathedral within the mosque.

Muslims and Christians have worshiped side by side in this building and continue to do so today. The fascination for me is this, as well as the art and beauty of the architecture

The Roman Bridge, for centuries the only way across the river into the old city. The foundations are original although obviously the bridge has been rebuilt and renovated many times since then, the last time early this century when a brand new bridge was built a little further up to take traffic so that this one could become pedestrian only.

The Torre de la Calahorra, at the end of the bridge opposite the old town, was originally the defensive gate to the city. It’s now a wonderful “didactic” educational experience (museum). You explore the exhibits with an audio guide in the language of your choice. The various rooms in the fortress show the ways in which “science, wisdom and faith” united the Muslims, Christians and Jews of the 13th century. We “hear” from philosophers, Jewish and Muslim spiritual leaders and Christian King, Alphonso III, who set down in law that all three religions would be free to worship in their own way. They simply believed in one god but different prophets and practices.

The exchange of knowledge led to a tolerant and enriched society. There was very advanced surgery and the astrolabe (navigational instrument) was invented. Unfortunately, the king was deposed by the Pope and his own aristocracy. In the 14th century the Jews were expelled and it appears the Christians have had the upper hand ever since. By the way, I’m not at all religious but people, psychology, behaviour and society are what fascinate me. That – and the architecture, history, art and beauty of it all.

Ann’s blog #21