Córdoba - former centre of the Western world

It's hard to believe that the town of Córdoba was once the centre of culture, learning, and commerce in the Western world. Today, all that remains are the ruins of a once glorious past, and an anomaly in the Mezquita cum cathedral - which is the only place you can attend a Catholic mass inside a mosque. But it's true. During the Medaeval ages, Muslim-ruled Córdoba was its own caliphate and had over one million inhabitants, a population figure practically unheard of in those days.

The town is very walkable, and most of the museums are accessible for people with mobility concerns (except the Alcázar which only has stairs and no ramps). The old town is in the lower part, close to the River Guadalquivir, while the newer town is up the hill and away from most of the historical sites. My hostel (the Al-Katre Backpacker) was just down the road from the Mezquita, and despite being in the touristic zone, was very quiet at night (with the exception of three drunk Spanish girls waking me up at 4:45am with their giggling and crashing about on my second night). I had about two and a half days in Córdoba, and I would say that this is probably enough to take in all there is to see in that town.

Above: the main square (Plaza Tendillas) in the newer part of town, almost of of these buildings are 19th century, with the exception of the building in the right part of the frame which is from the 16th century which has been a high school throughout the ages. The statue of the man on the horse was unfortunately not fully explained by our walking tour guide, but he (the figure) was an important military leader for the Christian reconquest of Andalusia from the Moors.

The first day (as has become my habit), I partook in a guided walking tour of Córdoba with a fellow hosteler named Steve from Pennsylvania. The guide was good but I found he spoke a little fast, so I'm not sure how much I absorbed. Our first stop was one that is now familiar to me in almost all the places I've visited in my journeys - some Roman ruins.

Below: the remains of a Roman temple, this one was a bit strange from other temples in that is existed outside of the original walls encirclinging the settlement. This made it vulnerable to attack. Only two original capitals remain (far left columns). 

Below: an impressive complete wall of Roman mosaics was found underneath the Plaza de la Corredera. These were discovered when the plaza was being developed from being a bullring into a proper town square. They are now housed inside the Alcázar that belonged to Ferdinand and Isobel. You can see my silhouette in the centre, reflecting off the protective glass. I was literally trying to "take it all in."

Above: the statue of Ben Maimonides in the old Jewish quarter of town. Despite his Greek sounding last name, he was a Jew, and also a philosopher. He believed that religion and philosophy need not be at odds with each other, and believed in Aristotle's golden path of moderation. He translated many books into the common language at the time, and was a leader in the Jewish community. It is said that if you rub his shoes, some of his wisdom will rub off onto you. Of course I rubbed his shoe - the more wisdom, the better! Like elsewhere in Spain, when the Christians reconquered the town, they gave Jews and Muslims the choice to convert or leave. Córdoba has the only unmolested synagogue left in Spain, although no Jews live in the town any longer.

After the splendour of the Real Alcázar in Seville, the Alcázar of Córdoba was a bit of a letdown. But at €3, it was still nice to take in the gardens. I was also glad to snap the following photo of Christopher Columbus asking Fernand and Isobel for money to fund his expeditions to find a westward passage to China. They flatly said "NO," and Columbus was left to his own devices to work odd jobs to try and come up with enough funds for his voyages. Later, after he "discovered" America, Ferdinand and Isobel did cough up some money when they saw the goods and gold he came back with. An interesting note, it is speculated (and probably true) that many aboard Columbus' voyages were Jews fleeing Spain's intolerance and Inquisition. Why not have a free life of adventure at sea rather than persecution at the hands of one's fanatically religious government?

Below: Columbus asking "pretty please" for some money from the implacable monarchs.

Below: the other sight that interested me in the Alcázar, a pomegranate tree! Up until now, I have never seen one of these trees with my own eyes. Beautiful!

Later that same day, Steve and I took in some culture at the Museo de Bellas Artes and the adjacent Museo de Julio Romero de Torres, a famous local painter. The fine arts Mesuem focuses on religious themed paintings, some modern works, even some cubist paintings, and cost only €1.50 to visit. The Julio Romero de Torres museum cost a bit more at €4.5 with a visual guide priced at €3, but both were worth it in my opinion. Only the de Torres museum is fully accessible with elevators etc. as the collection is housed over two floors. I must say that this painter had a way with light, colour, and capturing expressions that arrest the viewer. A few paintings stayed with me in my mind: "Look at how pretty she was!" - a painting that depicted a young woman's funeral with relatives in mourning; and "The little coal girl" (see below). De Torres had a passion for flamenco, and used paint to visually capture the soul of this musical and dance form on canvass by exploring the themes of fate, passion, love, and death common in flamenco songs.

Below: the "Little Coal Girl," posed by his then 15 year old muse (and probable lover). De Torres found her to be the epitome of Andalusian women's beauty, and used her as a model in many of his later works.

Day two: to the Mezquita! This former mosque, now cathedral, is the main draw for visiters to Córdoba. And it's easy to see why. It's size, scope, ornamentation, and forest of 850 double-horseshoe arches are a marvel to behold and walk through. The original mosque was built between 785 and 787 by Abd al Rahman I, who fled Syria when his clan was being wiped out by a rival dynasty. He arrived in Córdoba six months after his flight (which included crossing all of North Africa, then into Al Andalus), and then conquered the place from the Visigoths and set about building the mosque over the former basilica of Saint Vincent (which can be observed through a glass floor in the mosque to the former chapel below). The mosque was the centre of religious, social, cultural, and political life in Córdoba.

Above: the Mezquita and Roman bridge lit up at night from across the River Guadalquivir. The large pitched roof and dome in the middle-right of the compound is the cathedral portion of the building.

Below: the most unoriginal photo of the Mezquita, taken from one of courtyards filled with flowers. Apparently, this is the view most tourists snap when then come to Córdoba. Here the bell tower (former minaret) can be viewed through the narrow lane, rising up like an apparition.

The Mezquita went through four main building phases while still a mosque. The first phase was the original building by Abd-ar-Rahman I, who was inspired by the mosque in Damascus, but he also integrated elements of Hispanic-Roman traditions as well with the reusing of marble columns etc. During the independent and prosperous caliphate stage of Abd-ar-Rahman II, the courtyard was extended, the prayer aisles were elongated, and a minaret was built (now apart of the current-day cathedral). In the third stage, Al Hakam II expanded the mosque and added ornamentation that made the mosque the reference model rather than the mosque in Damascus (this demonstrates the power and wealth of the caliphate of Córdoba at this time). The exquisite mihrab (or prayer niche that indicates the direction of Mecca for worshippers) was constructed at this time. The final construction period occurred during the reign of Al-Mansur, who merely copied the other parts of the mosque by adding eight more prayer aisles to the east side of the building. This meant that the mihrab was no longer centred in the mosque. At this time, there was room for 40,000 worshippers and their prayer mats inside! Imagine! Here are a few photos from inside the mosque:

Above: the double-horseshoe shaped columns with reused marble bases. Now try to envision 850 of these arches and you get the idea of the size of this place.

Next two photos: the mihrab and it's 8-sided domed ceiling. Richly decorated with gold and mosaics and proclaiming the power of Allah.

 

When King Ferdinand III (the holy) reconquered Córdoba in 1236, it was his will that the mosque be reconsecrated as a church. The main chapel was erected below the Al-Hakim II skylight, and the first mass was said in April of that same year. The Christians found the rows of columns inconvenient for celebrating mass, and much discussion ensued over how to properly convert the mosque into a Christian place of worship. Works on the cathedral finally began in 1523 under much controversy as the architects felt unease at simply levelling the mighty structure to start anew. So, instead they destroyed only the middle of the mosque to build their cathedral in a mix of styles but keeping with the Latin cruciform shape. Side chapels were also integrated along the entire outside of the mosque aisles (with the exception of the mihrab, which remained intact). The courtyard of abulutions outside was transformed into an orange tree courtyard, the fountains consecrated with Christian saints names, and the minaret turned into a bell tower. At €8 for adult entry plus an additional €3.50 for an audioguide, the Mezquita is not to be missed.

Below: part of the cathedral inside the former mosque. The high alter and choirs are worth visiting, but are not pictured here. I just wanted to give a flavour of how the Islamic and Christian styles were combined.

The final monument that I visited during my stay in Córdoba was the Moorish Torre de la Calahorra, which sits across the south bank of the river, at the end of the Roman bridge. It has be used as a fortress to protect the bridge, a school, and a prison. Today, it houses a small collection of Andalusian artifacts and explains some of the Moorish beliefs, and influences of the region. It is important to note that up until the death the of Spanish dictator General Franco in 1975 it was forbidden for the Spanish to talk about their Moorish heritage and history, let alone put it on display.

Above: the rather utilitarian looking Torre de la Calahorra. 8 rooms depict life of Medaeval Moorish Spain, including an impressive huge model of the mosque before the cathedral's construction. The visit takes about an hour, and costs around €3 which includes an audioguide. This monument is not accessible for mobility-limited persons. 

Below: two gorgeous Persian rugs from inside the Torre.

No tour of any Andalusian town would be complete without taking in some local flamenco performance. I met another hosteler that third evening named Sophie (from France, who complimented me on my French speaking ability - huzzah!), and we went to a bar/restaurant that was stumbling distance from our hostel to view the show. The show consisted of a dancer (or bailaora), a caller, and a guitarist. The dancer and caller also clapped out the rhythms. It was nice to have the juxtaposition of seeing such an intimate show compared to the large one I enjoyed in Seville. The dancer was amazing! Olé!