Cordoba & The Mezquita . . .

The Mezquita, or huge Muslim mosque, was first constructed in Cordoba in 785 and subsequently enlarged. In 1236 the mosque was "converted" into a Christian church after Cordoba was captured by Ferdinand III of Castile. In the 1520's Charles V of Spain ordered the construction of an elaborate Gothic cathedral right in the center of the mosque. Below, Nancy is pictured with a view of the Mezquita across the river on the day we arrived in Cordoba. (We toured the interior the next morning, Dec. 31st.)

The finished cathedral with its Gothic dome is in such stark contrast to the magnificent Islamic architecture of the mosque that Charles V is reported to have said upon completion, "I have destroyed something unique to the world!" The cathedral, however, has its own beauty, with impressive stained glass windows, dozens of side-chapels, and very ornate Gothic decor above and behind the central altar.

The old city of Cordoba is a maze of narrow streets (photo below) where one literally had to quickly jump on the sidewalk or into a doorway at the approach of a car. Some of the streets were obviously one-way, but for pedestrians like us the "direction" was not readily apparent. Just like in Seville, some of the wider streets were simply pedestrian walkways, with high-end shops on both sides of the street. (In fact, knowing about Spain's economic difficulties and high unemployment, it was difficult to get a feel for the real situation when we observed big crowds in restaurants and expensive department stores.) -rw