We set off about 10 this morning to walk down through the city park on the west side of the city, planning to arrive for our 11am time slot for the Mezquita-Catedral de Cordoba. We were early but that didn’t matter. Armed with our audio guides we spent a fantastic 1.5 hours exploring the mosque/cathedral. Both Howard and I agreed that for the most of it we enjoyed the mosque architecture rather than the Christian. The mosque was extended 3 times, eventually holding 40,000+ people, and yet it seemed the most peaceful.
The old city walls, just before we went to the Mesquite
The Cathedral/Mesquite across the Orange Garden
The mosque architecture of the building was really stunning. It had been extended 3 times and in each case the double arch, the column and the mixture of red and white was used.
The Mihrab - the niche that points to Mecca (except in this case it’s off by 45 degrees due due south!)
Then we moved from the relative dimness of mosque area (beautiful) and the various chapels (yawn) into this huge cathedral and the contrast really made me gasp. The height, the light, the decoration were such a huge contrast to what we had been seeing. It took 250 years to complete this section and we could see why. The choir, carved in mahogany, the marble, the ceilings, the 2 organs, wow, wow, wow. I doubt that Seville, coming next, will have anything to compete.
The High Altar
One of the 2 organs
The Choir
The tower on the square = built over the minaret!
The Mezquite/cathedral
We wandered across the road and found this council building with a view to the river and the Mezquite. Before a much needed coffee we wandered across the Roman bridge to the far side of the river and took this view over the town
Refreshed after coffee we headed for the Alcazar - military headquarters and later headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition (nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition). Anyway, a slightly boring building with some fabulous Roman mosaics transferred from a plaza in 1959…
A sample of these huge Roman floor mosaics
…. and some lovely gardens, topiary and fountains were we had our sandwiches for lunch!
A monument to Columbus and his meeting with Ferdinand and Isabelle before his first trip to the New World
After enough of historical sites was a beer and then a stroll to the Plaza where all these fabulous mosaics had been found - the Plaza de la Corredera …..
..then Howard headed home and I went and checked out the Mercado Victoria (a disappointment- basically just a trendy food spot and not a real market as in Zaragoza). Then a couple of hours at home to chill and then a wander out to find dinner. It was a really really beautiful evening to sit outside and enjoy the temperature.
Our first stop was at Bar Santos which we’d happened to have read about on the web - huge tortillas served on paper plates and all drinks the same…busy. A bit of a cordoba internet sensation I’d say. Good, cheap, but I’m not sure it deserves the type…
The recipe for my next tapas, on an apron!
Tortilla and wine
The double tortillas
Bar Santos
Then finally another bar where I tried the Salmorejo, Howard had spaghetti and we shared a bottle of red while the sun went down and we were entertained by singers in the square. An absolutely lovely evening. Finally a stroll home through the streets..
Addendum: Córdoba for the tourist appears to be only to be about its historical centre - the Mezquite and the Alcazar but I’m pleased to say I think the old and the new sit very happily together. The modern city of shops like Zara and El Corte Inglés sits just a stones throw from the Mezquite and walking back to our little apartment today - Saturday when Cordobites(?) are relaxing into their weekend it seemed to me that tourist and local blend well together.
