double arches of La Mezquita
The intersection of the original Moorish architecture and the Christian cathedral added on later. Early morning sun streaming through stained glass.
About this place:
Wedged between the winding streets of the judería neighborhood and the Río Guadalquivir lies the massive and captivating Mezquita (the Spanish word for mosque). It's free during the week before 10 am, which is also the best time to wander quietly in the cool semi-darkness of the arched red and white columns. The Moors ruled Córdoba, and most of Spain, from the 700s until the late 1400s, and in this time, the Mezquita was built, changing with new rulers. Perhaps the biggest change came when the Christians recaptured Córdoba. Although the Mezquita was left standing, a (somewhat nondescript) cathedral was placed at its center. As such, a visit to the Mezquita evokes awe, pleasure at the beauty human hands can create, and sadness at the destruction human hands can initiate. It's a wonder.
Calle Cardenal Herrero
Córdoba, Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía, ES
Discovered by Emily
on 11 November 2007.
186 views.
