Cordoba was a 4 1/2 hour drive from Toledo. Cordoba has a Roman and Moorish past. It once served a regional capital for both empires. During the Dark Ages, Cordoba was the center of a thriving and sophisticated culture. The city was famous for religious tolerance, artistic expression, and dedication to philosophy and the science.
We started our tour by visiting the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos.
The Alcazar was built by Alfonso XI in 1386. Within the walls stands the old palace which is now a museum with Roman sarcophagi and mosaics. The Moors added the gardens rich with flowers and fountains.
Then we walked to the Jewish Quarter. It dates from the late Middle Ages, after Muslim rule and during the Christian era.
This synagogue is the only one preserved in Andalusia. It dates to 1315 and was built by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim craftsmen. The synagogue was used as a church until the 19th century
Our final destination was the Mezquita.
A former mosque, the Mezquita was once the center of Western Islam and a wonder of the medieval world. The mosque was built in 784 AD.
The Baroque bell tower encases the original Muslim minaret. The muezzin would climb the minaret five times a day to call the Muslims to face Mecca and pray.
There are 850 columns topped with double arches.
The arches are round Romanesque above a Visigothic horseshoe arch. The horseshoe arches are made from alternating red brick and white stone.
In 1236, Saint-King Ferdinand III conquered Cordoba and turned the mosque into a cathedral. 16 columns were removed and replaced by Gothic arches to make the chapel.
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