Córdoba: la gran Mezquita

 

On our second day in Córdoba we walked back through the streets and alleyways of the old city to the Mezquita, the heat already an intense 40 degrees by mid-morning.

All roads here, in a sense, lead to the Great Mosque, as the centre of this Roman (from 169 BC; Seneca was born here in 4BC!), then Visigoth (4 AD) city became in the 8th century the powerful capital of the Muslim Caliphate, in which a walled medina surrounded the Great Mosque.

The Mezquita's massive walls with classic designs and decorations of Islamic architecture were as impressive in daylight

But once behind the walls, we were reminded that this mosque - one of the biggest in the world - was appropriated by the Catholic church in the 14th century, and part-converted to a cathedral. 

The first visible evidence being the typically Christian bell tower rising above the trees. Not quite typical, though, as the older minaret has been included!  

The patio de los naranjos, courtyard of the orange trees, is gorgeous - lushly planted with orange, cypress and olive trees around fountains.  

Inside, the basic structure of the original mosque remains - huge spaces with massively high ceilings and repeating double arches creating a mirrored symmetry ... it is stunningly impressive.

... as are the classic Islamic features of scalloped keyhole windows, letting in light while giving views to the green of the great inner courtyard outside 

So far, so fabulous. But into these spaces has been inserted layer upon layer of the elements of Christian Catholic cathedrals - alcoves with saints, a giant nave, crucifixes and Virgin Marys.

The result is a mishmash aesthetically - the Christian features, beautiful in their own right, introduced as add-ons over centuries, are jarringly different in style.

Walking back out, past these beautiful homes (above) alongside the Mezquita wall, we headed further south to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and gardens, to find it closed that day. 

We walked instead back down to the Roman bridge over the river ...

... and then back up through the Juderia to the Hospes for a swim in the garden. After 9 pm, a suitably Spanish time for dinner, we ventured out again to La Tranquera, close to the river, for Argentinian steak and wine in a cool interior.

Córdoba, Spain

Iberian road trip, Day 5, June 2017

La Mancha to Andalucía

Leaving Zaragoza around 9.30 am, we crossed half of Spain, or so it felt, through Aragon and then all of dry, dusty, barren La Mancha  - Don Quixote country, the odd windmills still visible on parched brown hillsides. Dead straight highways stretching forever in burning sun, de Falla and Rodrigo playing on the car speakers for (contextually appropriate) distraction.

And finally into the greener, lusher hills of Andalucía, arriving in Córdoba a little before 5 pm - 

- to find the Hospes Palacio del Bailío a little oasis of green and luxury after a day crossing the semi-desert. A room off a quiet inner courtyard and a garden filled with orange and plum trees, flowers, fountains and a pool.

The interiors were all cool white, and I loved the cultural references in the classical Arabic ceilings and architraves

We set out to make best use of the rest of the day by exploring the historic old town on our doorstep

Córdoba is called the city of flowers, and it's the first thing you notice. In  June the orange blossom and jasmine were still in full flower and their scent hanging heavy in the air of the streets and courtyards

Purple jacarandas were in bloom too

And one of my favourite features of Moorish architecture - the private, secluded inner courtyards, shut off from the noise of the streets 

We crossed the big central Plaza de las Tendillas

and the smaller squares of the barrio de la Juderia

An unexpected surprise was coming across this fine looking caballero with his beautiful Andalusian horse!

As we got closer to the Great Mosque/Mezquita, the streets became ever narrower, in this oldest part of the city

 As the Mezquita was closed for the night, we walked down to the river of Guadalquivir (from the Arabic for big river valley) and the Roman bridge that goes back to 1 BC, where around 8.30 the sun was just starting to set.

Next to the river a table for dinner was waiting 

Later we walked back to the Hospes, passing the closed, lit-up Mezquita at night, in awe of the massive walls in pale gold stone, heavy doors, minimal decoration in subtle colours ...

Córdoba, Spain

Iberian road trip, Day 4, June 2017

 

Zaragoza: Marian apparitions and paella de marisco

 

Arriving in Zaragoza late afternoon, we had time to explore the historic city centre close to the river Ebro.

There were broad avenues, good architectural design blending old and new, plenty of public spaces and fountains

and heaps of tabernas and tapas bars, though these were not too busy yet

 

Wandering the streets, the cathedral of Nuestra Señora del Pilar loomed ... 

    ... constructed, according to legend, on the site where the Virgin Mary appeared to Santiago (of Compostela fame) on top of a pillar of jasper - leaving the pillar (the eponymous pilar) behind her, around which this cathedral was later built. 

            

What's interesting about this particular legend, for lovers of Catholic trivia like me, is not only that it's the first ever recorded apparition of Mary, but that she was actually still alive and living in Jerusalem at the time she appeared to Jesus' apostle James/Santiago here on the banks of the Ebro. So it's also the only claimed instance of a living, still-earthly Mary demonstrating the mystical superpower of bilocation - very cool I thought!

We didn't get to see the pilar, however, as there was a mass in progress inside the cathedral, which also meant that we couldn't take any pictures of the truly impressive interior. But as the heat was still fierce at 6.30 pm, we were happy to slide into a pew at the back and enjoy the coolness and a sung mass with live organist and haunting female singer. 

We exchanged a peace-be-with-you with some friendly old ladies in front of us when the moment came, and let the sounds of the music and familiar ritual in an unfamiliar language wash over us while contemplating the Goya frescoes on the sides of the basilica. A pretty memorable experience.

Outside, in the Plaza del Pilar, families were taking relief from the heat by splashing in the fountain 

The Fountain of Hispanicity is carved in the shape of the coastlines of Cuba and Latin America (above) and water flows from here down into an adjacent pool (below) in the shape of the rest of South America, down to Tierra del Fuego.  

(So, somewhat erroneously, it includes Brazil in Hispanidad, but why be pedantic on a hot day).

This massive plaza is surrounded by monolithic court buildings and a great slab of a statue honouring Goya, Zaragoza's local son. 

We had a beer in a shady square and went back to the hotel to shower. Around 9 pm when we went back out on the streets, the tapas bars were only just starting to fill up and the paseo starting. 

We ate at a table in the street, watching the parade of passers-by and had good squid with garlic and black aioli, then shared a large paella de marisco and a bottle of cold white Albariño.

Zaragoza, Spain

Iberian road trip, Day 3, June 2017