Cordoba was beautiful and a great day trip from Seville. It was also our last day on this part of the journey before we head north. We were lucky as the rain held off all day and we saw a little sunshine though it was quite cool. Our adventure began at the train station as we has hoped to use the public city bus service to take us to the Mezquita but the bus was very late and then the driver said his bus was not going anywhere near there. So we jumped into a taxi and we were there in a jiffy and for only 4.5 euros - very well worth it. The outside of the Mezquita is not impressive and it sits just 15 feet or so from neighboring buildings but you enter the courtyard and realize you have entered a different world. We decided to go up the bell tower first while we were fresh and it was a climb! All stairs and narrow so we were breathing heavy; I much prefer the ramps of the Giralda in Seville. We made it and were rewarded with a spectacular view of the city.
We then entered the hall of the Mezquita and it was splendid. After all of the photos I was still amazed to stand among the famous arches. It is immense inside and again the outside gives no hint as to the interior. You progress from the oldest section to the newest is a relative term. Now they continue to do archeological digs and think there might have been a very early Christian church on the site even before the mosque, but it was the construction of the mosque that made the site. The wondrous columns and spaces are fantastic. Then you can see the Gothic church added on. The Christians also closed off most of the exterior arches that would have opened into the courtyard and provided light; they built chapels in all these spaces. While they are beautiful they enclose what was meant to be an open space and realky darken the space. The interior gothic church section is quite beautiful but the Mosque areas are more intriguing. I have seen so many churches that they begin to share common traits and here in Spain it is gilding in gold and silver from the New World. The Muslim arches, time work, and geometric patterns are different, simple but exquisite and rely more on form and color than gilding.
We spent several hours walking the entire space and took so many photos! It can be almost overwhelming but also humbling. Here 2 magnificent faiths and styles reside side by side in terms of architecture. This was my favorite site so far and the most impressive even over the Alhambra which was a beautiful site and bigger but not as delicate. I cannot wait to add photos to my class sites. And the crowds were not large so I could take some photos without people in them, and it was easy to move about and no waiting.
Our last dinner in Seville was at a great Italian/Spanish restaurant that was yummy. The cold damp days however have given me a little congestion and cough...along with the ancient mold and dust lol.
Our foray into southern Spain cones to and end as we head north on the fast AVE train to Barcelona. Hopefully no rain will follow us.
