“The Supreme Caliphate of Cordoba was set up in rivalry to the Abbasside dynasty of Baghdad and was so cultured, sophisticated broad-minded and fastidious a state that for a century southern Spain was the lodestar of Europe”, Jan Morris
Although the road was swinging encouragingly to the south it couldn’t keep us sufficiently ahead of the cloud and by the time we reached the city of Córdoba it was clear that we couldn’t outrun it and it beginning to overtake us.
It was still patchy as we parked the car but by the time we had set off for the centro historico its advance was relentless and it became quite gloomy, overcast and cold and we were all beginning to regret the lightweight clothing option that we had selected earlier. It was lunchtime so we looked for somewhere warm to stop and eat and came across a restaurant with a reasonable menu del dai at only €10 and we enjoyed a pleasant if not an especially spectacular lunch.
Outside the weather had not improved as we had dined and we were disappointed to find that one of the two principal attractions the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos was closed for the afternoon so we had to make do with the external views and move on to Córdoba’s Great Mosque.
Situated amongst a lattice work of narrow streets, patios and plazas in the city’s old Jewish quarter the Mezquita was once the second largest mosque in the world and at the completion of its construction this was the grandest and most beautiful mosque constructed by the Moors anywhere in Spain.
After the Spanish Reconquest, it was transformed into a church and today it is a Roman Catholic Cathedral and the main church of the diocese of Córdoba. This is the good things about buildings, when they are no longer required for their original purpose they can always be converted to some other use. All over Spain Mosques were converted to Christian Churches, Arab Alcazabas to medieval fortresses and more recently stately homes, haciendas and castles to modern Parador hotels.
It was getting even colder and there was a spot of rain or two so we were pleased to buy admission tickets and go inside in the warm for a while.
I think I can rightly say that the mosque of Córdoba is without doubt one of the finest buildings in Spain – the most original and the most beautiful. From the moment of entering the great court planted with rows of orange trees there was a feeling of peace and harmony which is quite different from the mood of religious holiness and austerity imparted by some Christian cloisters.
Inside it was immediately spectacular with almost a thousand columns of granite, jasper and marble supporting the roof and creating a dazzling visual effect. When the Cathedral was constructed in the sixteenth century some of these pillars and arches were removed which I suppose might be described as an act of vandalism but in actual fact, despite being a sort of cuckoo in the nest, the Baroque structure didn’t seem to be entirely out of place.
“To Cordoba belong all the beauty and ornaments that delight the eye or dazzle the sight.” – Stanley Lane-Poole – The Moors in Spain
Click on an image to scroll through the gallery…
It took some time to walk through the Mezquita and see all of the highlights and explore hidden dark corners and when we left and returned to the courtyard it had thankfully stopped raining and although it was still quite cold the temperature had thankfully risen a degree or two above zero. We walked for a while down by the river and crossed half way on the Puente Romano, which is an elaborate bridge that still sits on original Roman foundations and was used as another Game of Thrones location, this time the Long Bridge of Volantis.
On account of the weather we didn’t really see Córdoba at its best and the grey skies took the edge of the visit and because of that we walked back to the car stopping briefly for a drink and a warm in a café and then drove back to Carmona.
Once in the car there was a continual chorus from the back seat of ‘put the heater on’ and I had to agree that it was a bit chilly. We took the direct route back along the Autovia which confirmed that there were no tolls and as we drove west the weather started to improve and by the time we arrived back at our hotel the sun was breaking through again.
Across the square was a café bar called the Bar Plaza and later that evening, even though we hadn’t intended going inside, the owner spotted us in the street and shepherded us in through the doorway in a much practiced customer gathering round-up routine and before we had time to make our own decision he had taken drinks orders and provided us with menus and there seemed to be a sort of commitment to dine there. Actually it was rather good and we ordered a range of dishes and shared them between us.
When we left the Bar Plaza it was raining again so went straight back to the hotel where we had a last drink in the lounge and a hand or two of cards before going to bed at about midnight feeling a bit uneasy about the weather prospects for the next day.
The details of the mosque of Córdoba are quite impressive.
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Yest another informative post …
Architecture looks different and interesting.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
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It is a very beautiful and special place. Thanks for stopping by.
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Good post! Thank you for sharing this blog….
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Thanks for reading!
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One of those places that has enormous impact and lingers on in the memory. Thanks for the return visit. Andrew. 🙂 🙂 Wear a jacket next time!
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Thanks Jo. The problem is that I always think of Spain being permanently hot and bathed in sunshine and I forget that it can get really cold in the mountains.
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Everyone thinks the same of here but that wind off the river can be cold. Not today though 🙂 🙂 Lunch outdoors and a stroll home.
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That is a really beautiful place of worship!
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Somewhere special indeed!
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Another good tour. I wonder if anyone has ever produced a thesis on change of use of churches anywhere in the world.
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It’s a good thought, thanks Derrick!
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We loved Cordoba, especially the beautiful Mezquita. We stayed in a Airbnb that had been recognized for their patio with colorful flowers for the annual “Patios de Cordoba.” We encountered a deluge on the way there, which made impossible to see, so we pulled off the highway for a few minutes until it passed. Fortunately, the weather was fine for our days in Cordoba. We really enjoyed Cordoba, and many of my friends also say it is their favorite place in Andalucia or Spain.
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I am going to have to go back and hope for better weather.
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Great architecture
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Thanks for stopping by!
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My son and I stayed in Cordoba for a week and explored every corner of the old city. An interesting city. It’s strange, but the most bright my memory about Cordoba is an excellent gazpacho in a tiny restaurant in Jewish quater. We ate it every day.
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Well, if you find something you really like then that is a good idea. Once we find a restaurant that we like we always go back!
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Slightly off topic, apologies, but like yourself we travel across Europe and use churches as our source of local history. We do the same here in England, but we have just returned to our village pub after a second abortive Saturday to a church nearby that is closed, locked, barred because of vandalism! WTF are we coming to! Sorry!
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When I was a boy on holiday my Dad would be forever taking us around churches. There was one particular one in Norfolk where we had a photograph taken outside the front door. A couple of years ago in Norfolk I was keen to find and reprise the visit and the photograph. It was locked and bolted of course. It is a sad state of affairs I agree!
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These were both pre Saxon medieval buildings with unusual wall paintings uncovered inside them. Our own village church shut for a few months last year but soon installed video cameras. It surely can’t be right that the solution to vandalism is to close the property down. Oh, hang on, maybe Westminster…. House of Lords, … get yer Gilet Jaune ready!
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I am available to join the rebellion!
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You’re team captain Wat!
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I make a good peasant!
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Having a casserole of those this evening, they’re everywhere around our lanes at present!
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Indeed a beautiful church, Andrew. I wonder if the Catholics regard a church’s ‘conversion’ as they would an individuals. –Curt
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I imagine they probably would Curt, they would consider it to be an improvement on the previous condition!
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Saving the soul of the church, so to speak. 🙂
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Spectacular photographs and interesting history. Didn’t realise it could be so cold in Spain – suddenly the UK doesn’t seem so bad!
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Lovely…
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It is a lovely city, we needed more time than we had allowed.
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I guess, Spain is nice and definitely warmer than North Europe where I live now and the food is nice and cheaper also. I so look forward to go there:)
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I hope the sun shines for you!
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Hopefully since we haven´t see sun lately
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The way those arches are coloured looks very Arabian to me,
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