Córdoba is only a 45 minute train ride from Seville and a great option for a day trip. We planned to spend most of the day there with the main draw being the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba. I had booked the first booking for the Bell Tower (9:30 am) and the Mezquita (10:00 am) hoping to get a jump on the crowds. It was about a twenty minute walk from the train station and we had enough time before our time slot to pay a visit to nearby Calleja de las Flores (Alley of the Flowers). This is a charming narrow alleyway in the heart of the Jewish Quarter that opens up into a small square. White washed houses line either side with flower pots attached to the walls. It’s a cute spot and we were lucky to have it all to ourselves in the early morning. Then it was on to the main event.

Córdoba, like the rest of Andalucía, has a rich history and I don’t think anything encapsulates it any better than the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba. Previous sites we visited were buildings built on old foundations or buildings repurposed and renovated after a regime change. The Mezquita-Catedral is different; it integrates elements from different eras together so we can see them side by side. Instead of a cathedral built on the footprint of an old mosque, we can see a 16th century cathedral rising from the center of a mosque with origins in the 8th century. I thought this was pretty amazing.

The first place of worship on this site was the Visigothic Basilica of Saint Vincent in the mid 6th century. After the Umayyad conquest of Spain and the founding of the Umayyad Emirate in Al-Andalus in 756, the Great Mosque was built here by Abd al-Rahman I in 785. Construction of the mosque incorporated existing Roman and Visigothic materials, including the columns and capitals. As the population grew in Córdoba and there was a need for more space in the mosque, expansions were carried out by Abd al-Rahman I’s successors. The original mosque consisted of eleven naves and Abd al-Rahman II’s expansion added eight new naves. Through the 10th century there were two additional expansions and other additions such as a minaret, a new mihrab and macsura, and an ablution yard. At the time Córdoba was the center of Western Islam and The Great Mosque was a centerpiece that could accommodate tens of thousands of worshippers.

The most distinctive feature of the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba (besides a cathedral rising out of the center of a mosque) is the two-tiered arches in the hypostyle hall. The hypostyle hall dates from the original mosque construction and originally served as the main prayer space. The timber ceilings were held up by the double arches resting upon columns, consisting of a round Romanesque arch above a Visigothic horseshoe arch in alternating red brick and white stone. The original mosque constructed in the 8th century reused columns and capitals from earlier Roman and Visigothic buildings for its 120 columns. Each subsequent expansion maintained this architectural feature and today the Mezquita preserves over 800 columns. We didn’t see anything else like these arches on our trip and they made for a very striking visual in the Mezquita.

Another main feature of the Mezquita is the mihrab, which is a niche on the end wall of the mosque (called the qibla). The mihrab marks the direction of prayer and also amplifies the words of the Imam. Traditionally the direction of the mihrab is in the direction of Mecca, but the mihrab in the Mezquita in Córdoba faces south instead of southeast. The reason for this orientation is not known, although some theories propose it is facing south like the mosques in Damascus where Abd-al Rahmán I prayed during his childhood or the mihrab in the Mezquita was adapted based on following the architecture of previous buildings. The original mihrab was demolished and the current mihrab was installed in the mid 10th century by Alhakén II. It is more than a niche, as it opens into a small octagonal room and is surrounded by a rectangular macsura topped with a dazzling dome. This mihrab and macsura reflect the wealth of Córdoba in its prime; they are exquisitely decorated with Byzantine mosaics of gold and beautiful carvings and details. This area of the Mezquita was converted into the chapel of San Pedro after the Reconquista. The original mihrab was discovered in 1816 and was subsequently restored and reconstructed. It’s gorgeous and definitely a highlight of the Mezquita.

The fate of the Mezquita changed course in 1236 when Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile as part of the Reconquista and the Mezquita was converted into a Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Fortunately the mosque was not destroyed and rebuilt as a cathedral, instead alterations were made while preserving the architecture of the mosque. Initially the main additions were small chapels, tombs, and cosmetic changes. The first altar installed was Capilla de Villaviciosa under one of the skylights of the Al-Hakam II expansion, followed by the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) which contained the tombs of Ferdinand IV and Alfonso XI. The Capilla Real was built in the Mudéjar style with carved stucco decorations and a ribbed dome similar to the Capilla de Villaviciosa. The most substantial change came in the 16th century when the Capilla Mayor (Main Chapel) was erected in the center of the former mosque’s prayer hall. The cruciform nave and transept were started in 1523 and finished in 1607 with a mix of Gothic, Mannerist, and Renaissance styles. The cathedral on its own is impressive, but nestled among the two-tiered arches of the original mosque and not far from the lavishly decorated mihrab, the juxtaposition of the different styles and cultures is remarkable.

The minaret also underwent alterations and was converted into a Renaissance bell tower after 1236, although initially the modifications were cosmetic in nature, such as placing a cross at the top. The bell tower was significantly remodeled in the 16th century after the 1589 earthquake affected the structure. It underwent a final restoration in the 1990’s that integrated the remains of the old minaret and it opened to tourists in 2014. Today the bell tower is the tallest building in the city at 54 meters (177 feet) and this is where we started our visit at the Mezquita-Catedral. We climbed the stairs and were treated to nice views of the Mezquita-Catedral, the Patio de los Naranjos (Courtyard of the Orange Trees), the Jewish Quarter, and the rest of the city. After descending the tower we picked up our audio tours and entered the Mezquita-Catedral. The audio tour was useful in guiding our visit and it was an amazing space to wander around. I’m glad we booked the first time slot - the crowds weren’t bad at all and it definitely was busier by the time we were ready to leave. This is certainly a gem of Andalucía!

We planned to eat lunch at Bodegas Mezquita and to kill a little time before they opened we walked across the Roman Bridge (Puente Romano de Córdoba). The bridge was originally built across the Guadalquivir River by the Romans in the early 1st century BC and has undergone multiple reconstructions and renovations since then (only two of the arches are original). It was converted to a pedestrian only zone in 2004 and it’s a nice stroll with views of the Mezquita-Catedral from a different angle. After walking across the bridge and back it was time for lunch at Bodegas Mezquita. We had a terrific lunch here; we had great service from our friendly server and the food was delicious. We had salmorejo, the Los Balanchares cheese plate, calamari, caliphate aubergines (another local specialty I wanted to try), and ham croquettes. Our meal was finished up by complementary dessert wine they insisted on bringing us. Salud!

First up in the afternoon was exploring the Jewish Quarter (La Judería), where Jews lived between the 10th and 15th centuries. The Jewish community first lived under Islam rule and the period from the 10th to 12th century is a golden age of Sephardic culture in Spain. Times changed after the Reconquista and Ferdinand III’s reign, with mounting violence and forced conversions until 1492 when the Catholic Monarchs conquered Granada and expelled all Jews from Spain. Today the Jewish Quarter is preserved in the historic center of the city, consisting of two main cross streets and a maze of narrow alleyways branching off these streets. In a series of small courtyards off of Calle Judios is an artisan market called Zoco Municipal de Artesanía (or El Zoco Municipal Souk, where souk is an Arabic word meeting bazaar). Only a few stores were open when we passed through, but that was okay since there were plenty of cats to entertain us.

Another tourist site off of Calle Judios is a small museum called Casa de Sefarad (also called Casa de la Memoria) that was founded in 2004 to showcase Sephardic culture, history, and tradition (Sepharad is the Hebrew name for Spain). The museum is in a restored Jewish house showing what it would have looked like in the 14th century before the Jews were expelled from Spain. There is a beautiful little courtyard and nine themed rooms covering topics from domestic life to Maimonides (a Sephardic Jewish philosopher born in Cordoba) to the Inquisition. One exhibit I particularly liked was the story of Dervis Korkut, a Bosnian Muslim who was a librarian and museum curator that saved the Sarajevo Haggadah during the Nazi occupation (inspiration for Geraldine Brooks’ terrific book People of the Book). He and his wife Servet also saved several Jewish people, including a young girl named Mira, and after the war they were issued a certificate from the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial honoring them as “righteous among the nations”. Decades later when the Korkut’s daughter and her husband became refugees during the Bosnian war, this certificate helped them find shelter in Israel and they were greeted at the airport by Mira’s son (this story was also highlighted in the NY Times: Crisis in the Balkans: Refugees; An Indebted Israel Shelters Family of Kosovo Albanians). The world often seems to be one big dumpster fire, so it’s always nice when I encounter stories highlighting our shared humanity.

Nearby is La Sinagoga, a synagogue that was built in 1315 in the Mudéjar style with stucco panels, stylized geometric patterns, and floral patterns. It is the only synagogue preserved in Andalucía after the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 and it is one of only three synagogues left in Spain (the other two are in Toledo). After 1492 it was converted to a hospital and then held by the Guild of Shoemakers where it was used as a community hall and chapel. In 1876 the parish priest was carrying out some repairs and when he removed one of the altarpieces he discovered some of the Hebrew inscriptions. The building was declared a national monument in 1885 and restoration efforts began. The synagogue is small and doesn’t take long to visit. There is a small courtyard, an entrance hall, a prayer hall, and the upper gallery for women (not open to visitors). The prayer hall is the main room and has intricate plasterwork details, a niche that housed the Torah scrolls, and Hebrew inscriptions. It was interesting to see these mix of elements side by side, speaking to the history of Andalucía : Mudéjar details, Hebrew inscriptions, and in one of the niches, the remnants of a cross. Upon leaving La Sinagoga we walked a few buildings down the lane to stop in Plaza de Maimonides with a statue honoring Maimonides. Maimonides was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher born in Córdoba during the 12th century and was also a physician, astronomer, and influential scholar.

We had time to visit one more site in Córdoba and chose to see the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, or Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs. Although this Alcázar is nothing like the ornate, beautifully decorated one in Seville, it does share a long history like other sites in Andalucía. The site was originally a residence of the Roman governors and with a prime location along the Guadalquivir River it was subsequently a Visigoth fortress. The Visigoths fell to the Umayyad conquest and in the late 8th century Abd ar-Rahman and his successors built the Alcázar, which became the official residence and seat of power in Al-Andalus. The Alcázar was expanded to include baths, gardens, and the largest library in the west.

When King Ferdinand III took Córdoba in 1236 during the Reconquista, the palace was in a ruined state. In 1328 Alfonso XI of Castile began building the present day structure utilizing the Mudéjar style and it became the seat of the Castilian Royal Court. The Catholic Monarchs (Isabella, Queen of Castile, and Ferdinand II, King of Aragon) used it as headquarters in 1482 and for ten years strategized from the Alcázar for the reconquest of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. Christopher Columbus had his first audience here to solicit support for his expedition (a statue in the garden memorializes this), the Alcázar served as headquarters for the Inquisition (the Arab Baths were used as torture chambers), Napolean garrisoned his troops here in 1810, and it was a prison from 1822-1931, and eventually it was transferred to the City Council of Córdoba in the 1950’s when it became a national monument and tourist attraction.

Some of the areas of the Alcázar we visited:

- Patio de las Mujeres (Courtyard of the Women). The name derives from when this courtyard was the women’s section of the prison. It contains archaeological remains such as a Roman Wall from the 1st century, a Roman castellum (watchtower), and ruins from the Umayyad era in the 8th century.

- Salón de los Mosaicos (Hall of Mosaics). This is the main hall of the building, built in the 18th century to be the Inquisition Chapel and then a prison. It is now decorated with Roman mosaics dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries that were discovered during the remodel of Plaza de la Corredera in the 1950’s. Today this room is used by the town council for official public events and civil marriage ceremonies (certainly better than autos-da-fé of the Inquisition!)

- The towers and walkway. The are four towers: La torre del Homenaje (Tower of Homage or Tower of Tribute), La torre de los Leones (Tower of the Lions), La torre de la Inquisición (Tower of the Inquisition), La torre de la Paloma (Tower of the Dove). Two of these are open to the public. The visitor entrance to Alcázar is in the Tower of the Lions and we could climb to the upper level. This also provided access to a walkway to the Tower of Homage. We had nice views of the gardens and of Córdoba from the towers and walkway.

- Jardines del Alcázar (Gardens of the Alcázar). Gardens and orchards have existed at the Alcázar since the 10th century, although they have had their ups and downs. The current gardens date from the mid 20th century and cover an area of ~55,000 square meters (~66,000 square yards). There is a variety of native plants, fountains, and ponds contained in the three levels of the garden: the upper, the middle, and the lower. The lower garden includes the Paseo de los Reyes (King’s Avenue or Promenade of Kings), an avenue bordered by lines of cypress trees and divided into two narrow ponds, and a statue commemorating Columbus’s first meeting with the Catholic Monarchs.

We especially liked observing the details of the mosaics and spending time in the gardens, which were lovely. The Alcázar was a nice way to cap off our Córdoba visit - it was a day full of interesting history and beautiful architecture. We made our way back to the train station and returned to Seville for one last evening.

A visit to Seville would not be complete without watching some flamenco and for our final night in the city we attended a performance at La Casa del Flamenco by our hotel. The music and dance of flamenco has its roots in the Roma and Moorish cultures of Andalucía, utilizing a guitarist, singers, castanets and hand clapping to set an intricate rhythm, and dancers. Besides the little snippet of flamenco we saw at Plaza de España, we had no experience with flamenco and weren’t sure what to expect.

La Casa del Flamenco is an intimate venue in an arcaded courtyard and they didn’t allow photos/videos until the very end, which was nice because we were completely absorbed in the performance. The dancers performed both individually and as a duo, accompanied by a guitarist and two singers. Everyone was amazing. Beyond the technical proficiency, the performances were expressive and passionate and intense and it was incredibly engaging to be in the audience. We really loved the show! Afterwards we returned to Pelayo for one last tapas dinner. Seville was fantastic - now on to Granada!