Córdoba is one of those cities that is absolutely bathed in history, from the walkways to the buildings to the bridges to the view of the city, you can feel just how old Córdoba is. Any Game of Thrones enthusiasts will like the fact that there are some scenes of the show filmed here, and any history enthusiast will appreciate the fact that the whole city of Córdoba is actually a UNESCO world heritage site, preserving it’s historical value.
Unfortunately, during this trip to Córdoba, I was beginning to recover from a sinus infection as well as a double ear infection, so looking back at the pictures, I have a much greater appreciation for the city than I did when I was there, which is really sad, but also why I waited so long to write a blog post on it, because now instead of dwelling on how tired and sick I was, I can write this remembering how beautiful the city was, and how astonishing the architecture is, and how breathtaking the mezquita was.
Also I’ve found it’s hard with tour guides sometimes, especially when their first language isn’t English, so there’s a lot of cool facts about the city that I learned after the fact, simply because our tour guide wasn’t as able to describe ourself as she could have if we’d done the tour in Spanish… But hey it’s still fun to read about Córdoba’s history!
Here are some highlights from my 3 hours in Córdoba-
Roman Bridge of Córdoba
This was our welcome into Córdoba, a gorgeous Roman bridge leading to an archway into the city.
Here you will also find a great work of mine- “Girl with Sandwich” featuring prominent model Sydney Gram, queen of the Candid photo.
Jewish Quarter
Quick history lesson:
Up until 1492, Muslims allowed Jews and Christians to live under them in Córdoba peacefully, with their own self-appointed governments. The 11th and 12th centuries were the most prosperous were Jews (as well as Córdoba itself) and the synagogue built in the year 1315 still stands today, although today it’s only used as a museum
Patios of Córdoba
There’s a lot of blues and whites in Córdoba, making every patio photogenic and adding to the quaint feel of the small town. These courtyards within Córdoba are also protected by UNESCO so basically there’s a responsibility to keep the flowers a thriving and prominent part of the city decór.
La Mezquita
The Mezquita de Córdoba is one of the most fascinating religious buildings I’ve seen (and trust me, I’ve seen A LOT). This mosque was begun in the year 784 and used for Muslim practice…
Until the 16th century when the Christians (who had attempted to drive out all the Muslims) decided to build a Catholic cathedral right in the center of the mosque. Thus we have 2 highly contrasting, yet amazing, places of religious worship under one roof! It’s an incredible thing to witness, actually.
As always, my time spent in Córdoba was not enough. It is such a well preserved city that enables you to feel all aspects of the history when you walk through.
I feel like it’s one of those underrated cities that a lot of people can’t appreciate, but if you’re a European history afficionado, this is the kind of city you need to see!
Looking at this picture of gelato is making my mouth water SO MUCH, since the gelaterias in Granada are one by one starting to close down for winter (crying)…
Until next time,
Ashley
Ashley Whitwell 