Our Rick Steve’s 14-day tour ended, and we traveled to Córdoba from Sevilla by train for a few days to decompress and soak up the rich history and spectacular sights of the City’s old town.
We secured an Airbnb in the heart of the ancient city, which is pleasantly walkable and near all the major attractions. No matter how small or large, step-through openings must have a balcony.
The original entry gate and window to the warren of apartments where our home base is located have been painstakingly preserved and feature intricate carvings and symbols of Muslim influence.
Many whitewashed walls of narrow streets and walkways are adorned by hanging pots full of flowers and ferns. The Mezquita’s bell tower looms in the background, calling the curious to come and visit.
Cobblestone streets lined with shops and restaurants add to the allure of wandering around this friendly city, looking for nothing in particular and finding everything fascinating.
Eight thousand six hundred ninety feet of the walls Romans built when they captured the city in 206 BC still stand. The massive gates are an easy way to pinpoint where you are when lost in the inner maze. The walls were maintained by the Moors and then Christians during their subsequent reigns.
The traditional patios filled with exotic plants in the Patios de Córdoba district are open to the public with free admission. During the Festival of the Courtyards, owners compete for the title Courtyard of the Year.
Karen lends a hand to the Grandfather and the Child sculpture, which represents passing the courtyard tradition to younger generations.
Códoba’s bell tower was originally a Muslim minaret and at 177 feet, is the tallest building in the city. Only 20 visitors at a time are allowed to ascend the 191 steps for the spectacular views.
After the Christians reconquered Córdoba in 1236, they gutted the Muslim minaret and added the bell structure to the remaining base. It stands in the corner of the Mezquita courtyard, allowing a bird’s-eye view of the mosque and the rest of the city.
The Mosque-Cathedral courtyard contains orange trees, palm trees, olive trees, and cypresses. This vantage point shows how the towering Catholic cathedral, which began construction in 1522, was built in the middle of the much lower ceilings of the original Muslim mosque built in 784.
Entering the Mosque for the first time can be overwhelming. Filled with ornate columns supporting a myriad of repeating-theme Muslim arches, the hypostyle prayer hall accommodated 200,000 kneeling faithful at once. The columns are recycled from ancient Roman pillars.
Colorful stained windows allow bright light swatches to move about the arched prayer room, following the sun’s arc across the sky.
Christian themes were introduced into the Muslim-designed nave. The horseshoe arches and lack of live animals in the ornamentation are distinct features of Islamic influence.
The wide-open space and towering ceiling of the Catholic Cathedral stand in stark contrast to the surrounding Mosque. The closeness of the mosque design was meant to promote a more intimate relationship with God and worshiper, while the Christian God looked down on his flock from an unattainable height with intimidation and judgment requiring direct access be made through Christian clergy.
Pedro Duque Cornejo did the elaborate carving in the choir’s mahogany chairs between 1748 and 1753. He was buried near the choir stalls by the lectern.
The focal point of the cathedral’s ceiling is the elliptical dome over the crossing.
The main altarpiece was built using locally sourced bronze and marble. Work began on the altarpiece in 1625 and was completed in 1653.
The glass-enclosed ornately-carved artwork made of gold is one of the many pieces on display in the Mosque-Cathedral showcasing the phenomenal wealth of the Christian church.
After a mind-boggling day inside Córdoba’s Grand Mosque-Cathedral, we joined the locals for the evening gathering across the Roman bridge in the park next to the Rio Guadalquivir or “Great River.” Children and dogs frolicked, friends and families caught up with each other, lovers snuck into shadowed nooks, and everyone oohed and aahed when darkness came, and the mighty Mezquita-Catedral was illuminated.