As a backgrounder, Cordoba was one of the greatest cities of the medieval world, rivaling Constantinople in the east with its palaces and mosques. The city is famous for its popular historical sites, such as the spectacular Mezquita, still considered one of the wonders of Europe, and the Jewish Quarter. It is smaller and less touristy than its Andalucian neighbours, Granada and Seville, but it is all the more charming for that.
All its attractions are accessible on foot, and it’s a joy to wander among the squares of the old town, and the thin alley streets of the old Jewish quarter. Ferociously hot in mid summer, Cordoba’s climate is at its best in autumn.
Anyhow, we first headed to the Jewish Quarter which is one of the most famous sights in Spain. It is a maze of narrow streets, small plazas, white-washed houses with flowery window boxes and wrought-iron doorways opening up to plant-decked patios.
The 14th-century synagogue in Córdoba is the only one in Andalucia and the only synagogue in Spain that was never turned into a Christian building. It contains ancient Hebrew inscriptions and intricate Mudejar patterns in stucco.
Other important sights in the Jewish Quarter include a bull museum and a monument to Jewish philosopher and doctor, Maimonides, whose photo is shown below.
Thereafter, we headed towards the Mezquita which was a pleasant surprise for me. It was actually one of the highlights of my trip because I was just in total awe of the place. It is remarkably spectacular and is one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture. A first glimpse is immensely exciting. Its shimmering golden mosaics and an endless row of red-and-white striped arches make it a visual delight. The architect introduced a horseshoe-shaped arch above the lower pillars. A second and purely aesthetic innovation was to alternate brick and stone in the arches, creating the red and white striped pattern which gives unity and distinctive character to the whole design. There are more than 850 coloured granite jasper and marble pillars in total. Sunlight streams in from windows in the four cupolas creating interesting effects combined with artificial light from the thousands of small oil lights.
The photos below speak for themselves.
Historically, the Mezquita dates back to the 10th century when Córdoba reached its zenith under Abd ar-Rahman who was one of the great rulers of Islamic history. At that time, Córdoba was one of the largest and most prosperous cities of Europe, outshining Byzantium and Baghdad in science, culture and the arts. The development of the Great Mosque paralleled these new heights of splendour.
The Mezquita can be visited via the Patio de los Naranjos, a classic Islamic courtyard which preserves both its orange trees and fountains. When the mosque was used for Moslem prayer in the olden days, all 19 naves were open to this courtyard allowing the rows of interior columns to appear like an extension of the tree with brilliant shafts of sunlight filtering through.
Consequently, when Fernando III conquered Cordoba in 1236, the Mosque was consecrated as a cathedral. The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral. The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave right in the middle of the expansive structure.
Christian conversion of the building to a cathedral may be responsible for its excellent conservation. Other important monuments in the city were plundered for their marble, cut stone and columns over the centuries, and no other mosque survived intact. Not everyone in 16th-century Cordoba was happy about the proposed changes to the Great Mosque, and there was a legal battle between the church and the city hall, which the king resolved in the church's favor. Although the Gothic cathedral and its buttresses occupy the center of the former mosque, large expanses still remain much the same as they were in the 11th century.
The photos below show the fusion of two religions:
After our tour of the Mosque-Cathedral, we were given free time to do whatever we wanted to do. And you could very well guess what a camera freak (like me) would do, right? Walk around the vicinity to snap some shots, no less.
Again, take note of the blue sky that day. It may have been a little bit chilly every now and then (for which I was grateful), but our tour was really blessed with good weather the entire time, except for slight rain showers towards the end of the tour.
After our tour of Cordoba, we scrambled back on the coach and headed towards our next destination, Granada. But to appreciate it more fully, it would be best if I could let you peep into a bit of its colourful past.
Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle" for the Roman fortress which once stood on the Albaicin Hill. When the Moors came here, the town was largely inhabited by Jews, for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud - Granada of the Jews. The Jews are said to have been one of the first peoples to settle in Spain, even before the Romans.
The Fall of Granada marked the end of an 800-year Islamic presence in Andalucía. And over the next ten years, a program of forced conversions was carried out where Muslims were told to become Christian or get out of Spain. Many remained, pretending adherence to the new religion while continuing to practice their own in secret. As the city continued to grow in power, this hidden influence imbued the city with a unique flavour that persists to this day.
One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, a series of palaces and gardens built in the 14th century. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below. The mighty fortress of the Alhambra, with its mysterious palaces and exotic gardens, is a place of legends. (I will discuss the Alhambra in detail in the next section.)
Indeed, Granada is one of Spain's finest gems. No other destination in Spain, or even Western Europe, can really compete with Granada's Islamic legacy. The mountain setting, however, makes for a less idyllic climate than is found elsewhere in the region. Short cold winters and uncomfortably hot summers mean that the ideal time to visit is in spring or autumn, especially because this is a city that demands to be explored on foot.
But Granada is not just all about the Alhambra. In fact, the whole city is synonymous with Islamic heritage. This particularly Moorish essence is due to the fact that it was the last Spanish city to be retaken by the Catholic Monarchs. From the former Moorish town Albaicín, which is a fascinating quarter full of narrow alleyways and small squares, to the cave quarter of Sacromonte, traditional home of the gypsies and flamenco dancers, the streets of Granada are simply magical.
So if there is one tourist destination that you cannot miss in Andalucia, it is Granada. As Rafael had said, “if you have not seen Granada, you have seen nothing”.
Anyhow, when we arrived in Granada, we immediately checked in into Carmen Hotel Granada, which is located right at the heart of downtown (and which is just across the mall). We were then given free time to do whatever we wanted to do, including some retail therapy, before our Highlight Dinner that evening.
And as you may have guessed, the first thing I did was to indulge my penchant for retail therapy. After unsuccessful attempts, however, I gave up, trudged back to the hotel and dolled myself up for dinner.
At 5:30pm, we were met by mini buses (since our coach won’t make it through the narrow streets) that took us to the restaurant up on a hill across from the Alhambra. The hill facing the Alhambra is called the Albaicin, a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and white-washed houses with secluded inner gardens. The Plaza de San Nicolas, at the highest point of the Albaicin, is famous for its magnificent view of the Moorish palace.
As expected, the restaurant, Estrellas de San Nicolas, where we enjoyed a sumptuous Spanish cuisine and overflowing wine, has a view that was to die for. It was a magical evening that simply left me overwhelmed.
Below is a progression of snapshots of the Alhambra taken from the time we arrived early on, to sunset and, ultimately, nightfall:
Isn’t the Alhambra just stunning?
After dinner, we were transported to Sacromonte hill for the Gypsy Show. This hill, which overlooks the city from the North, and which is famous for its cave dwellings, was once the home of Granada's large gypsy community. The Gypsy shows are held in one of the caves.
What a show to cap a fun-filled day. After the show, we called it a night and went back to our hotel.
To Be Continued......
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