Once capital of the Western World, Cordoba was founded by the ancient Romans at the highest navigable point of the Guadalquivir River, where it was easiest to ship olive oil, wheat, and wine back to Rome. Below you can see the Roman bridge into the city. The Mezquita (Great Mosque) with the cathedral built inside can be seen in a distance on the left.
After the conquest by the Moors in 711 AD, Córdoba grew to become the largest city in the world and an important center for science, education and the arts.
Evidence of an earlier Christian Church of San Vicente was found below the Mezquita. This tile floor dates back 500 AD.
The Mezquita is the third largest mosque in the world. There are 850 colored granite and marble arches within its walls.
The mosque grew over the years. Below is a beautiful ceiling built during one of those expansions.
In 1236, King Ferdinand III reconquered Córdoba. So began the construction of the Cathedral of Córdoba. The main chapel is a mix of gothic, renaissance, and baroque design and is located in the center of the mosque.
Below is the Corpus Christi monstrance (It holds the host – body of Christ) that is still used in modern-day processions.
After we left the Mesquita, we walked to the Jewish Quarter where we entered the synagogue. This small, ancient synagogue is still used occasionally for services.
After we had lunch at a local Andalusian restaurant, Bonnie chose to go back to the hotel on the bus, while I and about 20 other traveler chose to walk back with Filipa. She took us through several local streets and alleyways, explaining some of the design and function of various buildings. The picture on the left is the remains of a Roman column, one of several along our walk. The picture on the right is a building of Moorish design with detailed tile work under each window
The interior of this building had extensive tile work.
There were beautiful gardens all along the way.
In the evening, most of us headed out for an equestrian show with Andalucian horses. The show was a celebration of Our Lady of Rocio.
So it is back to packing before we go to bed. Tomorrow we’re off to Granada to see the Alhambra, then on to spend the night in Torremolinos.
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