|
|
|
|---|
Cordoba, the information
To understand something of today's Cordoba, a dive into its rich past is inevitable. This place was already inhabited in Greek times. Later the Carthaginians followed and in 206 BC. the city fell into Roman hands. The Romans baptized the settlement Corduba, which even became the capital of the Hispania Baetica empire. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Córdoba was briefly ruled by the Vandals and by the rulers of Byzantium, present-day Istanbul, before becoming Visigothic. After the Muslims invaded southern Spain in 711, Córdoba was also taken by the Arabs. The most important phase of the city's history began.
Cultural Center of Europe
Ten centuries ago, Córdoba was not only the capital of Islamic Spain, but with a population of about 500,000 – today it has a population of 325,000 – it was also Europe's largest cultural and intellectual center. Medina Azahara also dates from that time, just outside Córdoba. A visit to the ruins of this former Arab palace city and the accompanying museum gives a good impression of the size the city must have been. After the fall of the caliphate in 1031, Córdoba fell into decline. Greedy looters from the surrounding area emptied the city without sparing the monumental structures, including Medina Azahara. In 1236, Cordoba fell into Christian hands with the conquest of Ferdinand III. The Muslims, who had lived on fairly good terms with the Jews and Christians in the city for several centuries, were expelled. Churches were sprung up everywhere. In the early days, the Jews managed to maintain their influence. The synagogue dates from this time. Only at the end of the fourteenth century were they obliged to convert. Another century later, in 1492, they were expelled from the country by the Catholic royal couple Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile if they did not become Catholic.
Magnificent Mezquita
Córdoba is still characterized by the past. Strolling through the historic center with its winding cobblestone streets, you will find yourself in a bygone era. The historic inner city, one of the largest in all of Europe, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. Ten years earlier, that honor had already been bestowed on Córdoba's most famous landmark, the Mezquita. The magnificent Mezquita Cathedral is the most important Islamic monument in the Western world. Mezquita is Spanish for "mosque", and it's construction was started in 785. The mosque was built on the spot where a Visigothic basilica used to stand, which in turn had stood on the remains of a Roman temple. During the next two centuries, the religious building was expanded considerably, making it clear how Caliphate art developed during that time. After the Reconquista, the Mezquita was given a new destination: Cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba. The result is a church building with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements in the middle of a forest of more than eight hundred columns on which rest red and yellow horseshoe-shaped arches.
Enchanting palm grove
When visiting the Mezquita, make sure you have the time. Wander through the arched forest – dubbed 'palm forest' by many – and be amazed by the floors, the columns, the gates and the exuberant chapels on the side. The silence and the play of light are enchanting. Those who don't like spirituality could just change their mind here. And then suddenly there is that imposing cathedral, even higher, much lighter and totally different. But misplaced, according to some, including Cees Nooteboom, who wrote so beautifully in 1962: 'Only the heart of the forest has been spoiled: the trees have been cut down there and wild Christians have built their cathedral, an enclave full of baroque, which here has a hateful touch. Emperor Charles V was also not satisfied with the result, which was completed under his reign. “You have built something that you or others could have built anywhere, but you have destroyed something unique in the world,” he admonished the architect. For the construction of the cathedral, the four hundred columns that had formed the heart of the former mosque had to make way. But no matter how you look at it, the cathedral in that former mosque also makes the Mezquita of Córdoba a unique complex.
Ultimate Spain feeling
The Mezquita is without a doubt the beating heart of Córdoba's tourist district. Surrounding it are the old Jewish and Arab neighborhoods: a labyrinth of narrow streets with whitewashed houses on either side. Here you will find most tapas bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. It may seem like a place to avoid, but the old town definitely has its charm. The Spanish balconies, the cheerful pots filled with geraniums on the walls, and the view through wrought iron gates on lush patios with the cozy azulejos provide the ultimate Spain feeling. The flamenco dresses and the famous sombrero cordobés (not to be confused with the Mexican sombrero) in the shop windows also contribute to this. It looks like one big open-air museum. While you're here, pay a quick visit to the tiny Casa Museo Arte sobre Piel about Arabic leatherworking, the entrance is free. This also applies to the synagogue and the special chapel Capilla Mudéjar de San Bartolomé. The bullfighting museum is also located in this area. The main focus here is on Manolete, the city's most famous torero. A fun way to understand more about Córdoba's mix of cultures is to view the works in the museum dedicated to Julio Romero de Torres, the city's most renowned artist. He portrayed countless locals, including many from the world of flamenco, the music that also flows through the veins of the cordobeses. Opposite is the Museo de Bellas Artes, with old Spanish masters.
The beautiful patios of Córdoba
Beautiful gardens can also be found in the Palacio de Viana. In the 1980s, this palace belonged to the noble family of the Marquises of Viana. The rooms full of antiques are beautiful, but the twelve patios are the main reason to visit the palace. Of course there are special patios throughout Córdoba, the city is world famous for its courtyards. At the end of 2012, they were listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. Every year in May, Córdoba is dominated by the Concurso de los Patios Cordobeses. Then the most beautifully decorated patios compete for first place. The courtyards are opened to the public and are the scene of numerous activities, such as dinner parties, concerts and performances. The competition has been held since 1933.
Concealing flower pots
That the locals decorate their courtyards so beautifully is - again - a legacy of the past. The patios are a legacy from the Muslim era. Their homes had whitewashed walls on the outside, no more, no street names, no house numbers, no decoration. No wonder later cultures had trouble finding their way in a city where all streets and houses felt the same. Life largely took place in the courtyards hidden behind the walls. Here was cooked, eaten and washed. The Christians adopted that architectural style. Centuries later, residents of the city began hanging plants and pots to disguise the fact that holes and cracks had appeared in the walls around their courtyards and that there was no money for restoration. And so the flowery patios were born.
Across the river
The Guadalquivir flows on the other side of the Mezquita. First, pass the Triunfo de San Rafael, the patron saint of the city. A large part of the male inhabitants of the city are named after this angel. He is said to have freed Córdoba from the plague in the Middle Ages. Then you come to the Puente Romano, which has crossed the river here since the first century. Next to it is the Puerta del Puente, which used to provide access to the bridge. Nowadays you can enter the building for a beautiful view of the river and the Torre de la Calahorra on the opposite side. Further on is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, the residence of the Catholic royal couple. Ferdinand and Isabella lived here before they left for Granada after the Reconquista. It was here that they also met explorer Columbus, who asked for funding for his overseas adventures. It's gardens are especially worth a visit.
Enjoy this beautiful town !