A beautiful birthday present
At the beginning of June the whole family took me to visit Cordoba, one of my to do list before I snuff it. What can you do and see in Cordoba?
La Mezquita-catedral –
From our Airbnb, We just need to cross the road and we are in front of one of the entrances.
We made it, we are in the Mezquita garden/yard covered in orange trees but no oranges.
This wonderful building was first a Roman temple and then was converted into a church by invading Visigoths in 572. Spain was conquered in 711 by the Moors and the building was then demolished and the grand mosque of Cordoba was erected on its ground cerca 784. The most famous feature of the mosque is its red and white arches – over 800 over them.
The mirhab or prayer niche is one of the magnificent and colourful features of the mosque – dark blues, reddish browns, yellows, and golds that form intricate calligraphic that adorn the horseshoe arch.
Mihrab is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying. (Unfortunately, I am rather short and there was many people, so my photo leaves a lot to desire.)
Another horseshoe arch showing the magnificent colours.
The Christians reconquered Spain in the 13th century and converted the mosque back into a catholic church. By the 16th century, in the middle of the arches, the cathedral was built – renaissance style with the most beautiful Italian style dome.
When exiting the “arches”, you get back to the large garden of orange trees but still no oranges. and nobody there that could tell me the reason of the absence of oranges.
The Alcazar of the christian monarchs: History repeats itself. The site was first built by the Romans, then the Visigoths, then the Muslims to end up with the Christians. The future was not so bright as it became the seat of the Court of the Holy Inquisition (rooms were turned out into cells etc.). Its final role was to be the city’s public prison until 1931 when it was declared a Historic-artistic Monument and renovation was due. Now it has a display of roman mosaics – Below you can see some of the wonderful geometric and pictorial art on mosaic
There are no old buildings without a tower and this one applied the rule – so up we went on a narrow staircase with well worn steps. It was worth it, the view was fantastic – horse riding school, baths and garden.
equedestrian school 
baths 
gardens
There are many more beautiful buildings, streets covered in flowers etc. to see including great dinners to attend and of course enjoy some flamenco.
A year and a bit later…
That was last year when we planned to go to Granada in 2020. Unfortunately 2020 is a little different, no point in crying, there is always 2021+.
Keep safe!
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