85,000 square foot mosque turned cathedral is the reason
we’re in Cordoba. And take a look at the
photos – this place was amazing!
Candy-cane striped arches – over 400 of them – with the first portion
built in AD 750. It was actually built
on top of the remains of the basilica of sanvicente, from the days when the
Romans occupied this portion of Spain.
Cordoba was actually medieval Europe’s cultural capital: (rick steves
says) “By the year 950 – when the rest of Europe was mired in poverty,
ignorance, and superstition – Cordoba was Europe’s greatest city, rivaling
Constantinople and Baghdad. It had more
than 100,000 people (Paris had a third that many), with hundreds of mosques,
palaces, and public baths… The Golden Age was marked by a remarkable spirit of
tolerance and cooperation among the three great monotheistic religions: Islam,
Judaism, and Christianity… ruled over by Abd Al-Rahman III and Al Hakam
II.” In 1236 the Christians conquered the
city and built a Cathedral within the mosque.
What stands today is an amazing time capsule of faith and tradition that
combines over 1000 years of Christian and Muslim rule.
And today is miercoles santo, with the first semana santa procession
starting in 20 minutes. So we’re off to
secure a roadside seat and take in el pasion de cordoba.
