Córdoba

Inside the Mezquita

Abby had the thought that we should make the most of the last weekend before our kids’ school starts. So we considered some options, looked at some flight prices, and then settled on one of the great Andalusian destinations we wanted to make sure to visit: the mesmerizing old city of Córdoba. A text to Joe confirmed that he, Eva, and Dominic would be interested in joining us, and so on Friday midday we piled into Joe’s car and headed northwest.

 

I was mostly ignorant of this city’s remarkable history, especially its role as a capital of the Muslim world from about 711-1236 (the year of the Christian Reconquista). Much earlier, it had been a provincial Roman capital (of Hispania Ulterior). And later, in the late 15^th century, Ferdinand and Isabella lived in Córdoba for a time, where it seems they had one of their meetings with Christopher Columbus and where they set up the main castle and its gardens (the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos) to be a headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition. But during the long period of Muslim rule, Córdoba became a major cultural and economic center. It was Europe’s largest city, and Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain) covered most of the Iberian peninsula. I’ll mention just two tidbits. First, despite tensions and violence and regime changes, during that time Córdoba enjoyed long periods of relative tolerance among the Muslim majority and the significant Christian, Jewish, and Berber minorities. The old part of town we stayed in is called the Judería (the Jewish quarter) and for many years it had a thriving community under Muslim rule. Second, it was also a significant center of learning, producing two great 12^th century philosophers: Averroes, who worked to reconcile the ancient Greek philosophy with Muslim theology (and argued for the value of philosophy, ie logic, for the discovery of religious truth), and Maimonides, who did much the same within the Jewish tradition. Seneca (the important Roman stoic philosopher) was also born in Córdoba, many centuries earlier. Both he and Maimonides ended up living most of their lives elsewhere, but they still earned statues.

Maimonides

Seneca

 

Averroes

When you visit Córdoba, with its maze of old narrow streets, its Roman walls and bridge, and the Alcázar, all this history feels very present. 

Streets of Córdoba:

Roman walls and bridge:

The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos:

Columbus asks for money

The highlight of Córdoba is the Mezquita (see very top photo), which embodies the city's history: once the second largest mosque in the world, it now contains a Catholic cathedral within it. Started in the 8th century, it is huge—apparently it has 850 columns—and the Christian elements later built into and over the mosque create a strange mix. It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

We also discovered that modern Córdoba beyond the historic part of town has some lovely plazas and shopping areas and boulevards. But all of these photos are from our exploration of the area around the Mezquita and in the Judería. The narrow stone streets are lined with shops and restaurants, and little artisan markets, which then open into small plazas often in front of churches or government buildings. There are beautiful tiled entry ways and old Arabic doors. The area down by the river opens up a bit. The river is an impressive sight in this very dry part of the world, and the city has done well to preserve it for the benefit of the wildlife. 

It was a great weekend. Joe and Eva and Dom are such easy and fun traveling companions. All of the kids were game for walking, and they enjoyed the shops and seemed to take in the history. I especially appreciated their willingness to join me on a search for the statues of the three great philosophers while the other two parents napped. 

Some miscellaneous photos:

"Souvenirs Moral" -- like guilty feelings? Let's be happy instead.