CORDOBA (yeah, that's in Spain)

The drive to Cordoba was kind of long and not real eventful. One observation …… OLIVE TREES. Millions and millions of them. Literally. I am not sure exactly when we started passing through them, because I didn’t ‘clock’ it. But once I realized that there were STILL olive trees as far as I could see in any direction (rolling hills), I became more aware of them. I would guess that we drove better than 100 km (60 miles) with a solid landscape of olive trees. Pretty cool. PS it is very dry here

A lesson in humility. In Cordoba I am looking at a Roman ruin that is just shy of being 2000 years old. It is very humbling. I will be nice and not elaborate on that.

Will finish this tomorrow.


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Why I really wanted to focus on the south of Spain: The Moors. Pure and simple, I wanted to see the Moorish influence of Spain. It took the Christians about 700 years to drive the Moors out after the Moors conquered Spain (in about 700 AD). The Moors were here keeping knowledge, science, art, medicine ‘alive’ while the rest of Europe wallowed in the dark ages. So, I wanted to see southern Spain where the Moors were for the longest period. By the way, the Moors were finally driven out of their last strongholds in southern Spain in 1492. I think that most of my little history lesson above is correct. If not, I suspect there will be some comments setting me straight. So anyway, the Moors were here in the south the longest ….. so I am expecting to see more Moorish influence here. Plus, the Romans were here 2000 years ago. And they left their mark. For instance, the temple ruins and the Roman bridge still in use (foot traffic).

Roman bridge.

Roman bridge.

Anyway…….. how cool it is!

Islamic Cordoba (756-1236): Medieval Europe’s Cultural Capital
So much here to love. I will give only one example. The Mezquita.


Original building here – a Visigoth Catholic Church built in the 6th century (500’s). The Visigoths took over after the Roman Empire fell.


The Catholic church was torn down by the Moors (when they conquered here). They built a huge mosque on the site (over the years). This mosque, The Mezquita, is fabulous. It has 850 columns in it. The columns (Many, most, all? I don’t know.) were recycled from Roman ruins and conquered Visigoth churches. The mosque would hold between 15,000 and 20,000 worshipers on prayer rugs (depending on which guide you read). 


Finally, after the reconquista (re-conquering of Spain by the Catholics) the Catholics come in to re-use the mosque. They don’t pull it down. Instead, right in the middle of it, they build a cathedral. I like it better than the cathedral in Toledo (not as gaudy), plus it is in the really beautiful mosque.



Part of the mosque.



Mosque

Mosque again.

Cathedral in the middle of the mosque.

Cathedral.

Cathedral dome over mosque arches!

So ……… whoever was ruling at the time, built their own house of worship on top of or in the middle of the former power’s place of worship. Sometimes even using the same columns and stones. Proves yet again to me that religion is politics. (Don’t get me started on this. Um …… really. Don’t get me started.)


Anyway, that is what I like about Cordoba.

For all the Cordoba pics

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Notice how the Moors destroyed the faces from the Visigoth stones.  That is because the Muslims don't believe in using images ...... depictions of people.  Note that Muslim decorations are geometric designs.



I don't have the slightest idea.

Life is sweet,

Clarke