Cordoba

We decide to drive into Cordoba as the bus service is a bit infrequent and we are told by the Camp ground owner where to park there.
We arrive and there is an unofficial park attendant who waves us in to the park, and Bob initially resists and goes around the block to see if there is another spot do we can avoid him, but no luck, so we have to drive in. Bob’s not happy! The guy asks for €3 so we figure it’s worth it, so he doesn’t sic his thieving mates onto to the van the moment we turn our backs.

What a beautiful little town Cordoba is. The first star attraction we come to is the Roman bridge which is now pedestrianised and leads us straight to the Mosque Cathedral:

Roman Bridge:

Tower at entry to Roman Bridge

Water wheel near Roman Bridge and old Roman ruins:

Water wheel at Roman Bridge

Old Roman ruins next to water wheel near Roman Bridge

Entry to old town:

Entry arch to Cordoba old town

But first a detour left to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Palace of the Kings) which is closed for renovation but the Gardens are open and free to visit. And they are well worth the visit.

Around the gardens to Alcazar (Palace):

Outside Alcazar (Palace):

But the Mosque Cathedral - absolutely astonishing!

The history:

- the Visigoths had a basilica on the site in the 5-6th century

- the original mosque was built in 784–786 with extensions in the 9th and 10th centuries that doubled its size, ultimately making it one of the largest sacred buildings in the Islamic world.

- Since 1236 the former mosque has served as a Christian cathedral, and its Moorish character was altered in the 16th century with the erection in the interior of a central high altar and cruciform choir, numerous chapels along the sides of the vast quadrangle, and a belfry 300 feet (90 metres) high in place of the old minaret.

Overall, it’s a vast rectangle measuring 180 by 130 metres, or little less than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. About one-third of this area is occupied by the Patio de los Naranjos (“Court of the Oranges”). Going inside you feel like you are entering a deep sanctuary. The roof is supported by a forest of 850 pillars made of porphyry, jasper, and many-coloured marbles. They divide the interior into 19 north-to-south and 29 east-to-west aisles, with each row of pillars supporting a tier of open horseshoe arches upon which a third and similar tier is superimposed.

The sheer size of the Mosque space and the symmetry of the arch columns - it is just magnificent. And yes they have put a cathedral in the middle and built up into the roof, but for us it is the Muslim elements that really captivate us. It seems infinite in that wherever you stand and at whatever angle you are there is a line of beautiful arches going off into the distance.

Arch columns in Mosque-Catedral (I could have inserted another 100 of Bob's photos of arch columns - but thought this was enough!):

Chapels and alters everywhere:

Simply awe inspiring and rivalling Sevilla Catedral (where we were last week) as one of the highlights of our trip so far (but spoiler alert - the Alhambra in Grenada is just ahead of us, so let’s hold judgement!).

That's it for our day in Cordoba - most enjoyable.