March 17 – 19, 2023
Cordoba was once the second -largest city in Europe. After the Muslim conquests over the Visigoths in the 8th century, it was transformed into a world leading centre of education and learning.
I really only had one full day to spend in Cordoba, so naturally I had to go to the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. As with many churches in this region, this was once a mosque. The original mosque was constructed in 785-786. It was relatively a quick construction because they used existing Roman and Visigoth materials, such as columns and capitals. There is even roman mosaics still visible under the floor.
The mosque was expanded many times by subsequent successors.
In 1523 a bishop wanted to build a cathedral nave in the middle of the mosque. The city strongly opposed the idea. They claimed, “the beauty of the mosque was so dazzling that it defied any description.”. The church petitioned King Charles V, the King of Castile and Argon, who gave his permission. When the work was complete and he saw it, he is claimed to have said, “You have built what you or anyone else might have built anywhere; to do so you have destroyed something that was unique in the world.”
The cathedral is beautiful, but the King was right; it looks like most cathedrals around Europe. The mosque part is truly unique. The hypostyle hall has approximately 850 columns and looks like a forest of columns. They are made of jasper onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. The repeating pattern gives the impression of going on forever, like a hall of mirrors. The two-tiered arches have little surface decoration. Like a little black dress, there is beauty in simplicity.
One area in the mosque is anything but simple. The mihrab (the niche for praying in the right direction) has gold mosaics, carved marble decoration on the lower walls, blind arcades,
arches within arches,
and a mosaic covered centre dome, that forms an 8-pointed star with a scalloped cupola in the centre.
The courtyard is planted with rows of orange trees, cypresses, and palm trees, between stone irrigation channels. It was cool and airy. The original courtyard would have had fountains or water basins for the Muslims to perform the ritual cleaning before prayer.
At the corner of the courtyard is the bell tower, that has encased the original minaret (built in the mid 10th century ). The minaret was in a sad state of decay so the Church decided to repair it and convert it to a bell tower. (1593-1617) At 54 metres (177 ft), it is the highest structure in the city.
Between the Mosque-Cathedral and the Guadalquivir River is the is the Gate of the Bridge. It is built on the site of a previous, deteriorated Roman bridge. It was built to commemorate a visit by King Philip II in 1572. It was one of the city’s main gates and handled a high volume of movement in people and supplies. It was meant to be an artistic part of urban renewal. However, design and construction costs tripled the initial budget and it sat unfinished until 1928! Alfonso XIII rebuilt it as a memorial gate. The final restoration took place in 2005.
Across the from the Gate of the Bridge is the ancient Roman Bridge. It was built in the 1st century BC, quite possibly replacing an existing wooden one. The bridge we see today dates from the Arab reconstruction in the 8th century. It has 16 arcades, is 247 metres (810 ft) long and 9 metres (29.5 ft) wide. It has been reconstructed many times over its 2000+ years. Only the 14 and 15th arches (counting from the gate side) are original. Until the San Rafael Bridge was built in 1953, the Roman bridge was the only way to cross the river.
From the bridge I could see old grain mills. The rushing water turned the grinding wheels, making flour out of grain. I suppose any scraps fed the birds and fish.
On the opposite side of the river is the Calahorra Tower. It was erected in the 12th century to protect the Roman Bridge. It looks like an extension of the bridge. It has been used as a prison and as a girls school. (weird combination). It is now a museum. Unfortunately, it was all in Spanish, so I opted out. I found out later I could have at least gone up to the roof.
I was a bit too early in the season to capture the beauty of Calleja de las Flores (Flower Alley). Typically, the whitewashed walls make a perfect canvas for the colourful flowers suspended in pots along the walls.
I stopped for lunch at an outdoor cafe near a park. There was an interesting building next door so I peaked through the gate before ordering my lunch. I found out later that it was Palace of the Páez de Castillejo.
It is currently an archaeological museum. It was built in the old Plaza de los Paraisos, on what were the gardens – which would explain the lovely pond in the front. But I was hungry, so I opted for lunch instead of going in.
I satisfied by desire to revisit this beautiful city. It was nearing time to return to Canada. I had to head back to Portugal to collect my bag from my previous guesthouse. I had left it there f or 3.5 months.
I caught a bus to Lisbon.
Here is a link to my previous Cordoba blog:
An Old Lady with a Backpack 
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