Photos of Cordoba
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| Cordoba was founded by the Romans
and later became one of the three great Moorish cities of Andalucia, a
region in the south of Spain. The other two are Seville and Granada. During
its heyday in the middle ages, Cordoba was one of the richest cities in
Europe. Cordoba remained a Moorish stronghold until 1236 AD. |
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| In the center of the old city is
an ancient mosque, the Mezquita, that dates back to 785 AD. The mosque is
austere on the outside only. |
The interior of the mosque, which
is huge, is filled with columns that are said to give the impression of
infinity. |
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| The Christian conquerors were so
impressed by the architecture of the mosque that they left it intact and
built a cathedral inside. |
The residents of Cordoba are very
proud of their patios. They fill their patios with flowers and potted
plants. To this day, I think of Andalucia whenever I see red geraniums. |
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| It is OK to peek into people's
patios---and to take pictures. In fact, the city holds an annual competition
every May for the best-decorated patio. |
Christopher Columbus received his
commission to search for the New World from Ferdinand and Isabella at the
Alcazar (fortress) of the Christian Kings. |
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| The gardens surrounding the
Alcazar are Moorish in style and include fountains, ponds, and old single
roses. |
The skyline of Cordoba as seen
from the tower of the Alcazar. |
| Posted August 8, 2002 |
