We had a wonderful couple of days in Córdoba.
Polyphemus and Galatea. “The Cyclops Polyphemus and the goddess-nymph of the sea Galatea. The Cyclops is represented with three eyes, one set in the middle of his forehead. He is draped in an animal skin and holds a staff. Galatea is seated on the back of a Ketos, a wolf-headed sea monster with the body of a snake and the tail of a dolphin. The Cyclops Polyphemus loved the beautiful sea nymph, however Galatea loved a handsome Sicilian River-God named Acis. Polyphemus jealously killed his rival by crushing him against a huge rock.” https://followinghadrian.com/2016/03/13/a-guide-to-the-mosaics-along-the-roman-baetica-route-spain/ http://www.alcazardelosreyescristianos.cordoba.es/?id=640
The foundations to the Roman bridge, built in the 1st century AD, with the Mezquita (Mosque) and cathedral in the distance.
Statue of St. Raphael on the bridge.
The arch designed to welcome King Philip II is at the end of the bridge.
The Visigoths, who were Christian, in about 500 AD built the St Vincent church on the site of the current mosque / Cathedral. Some remnants of their work were not destroyed.
After conquering this part of current Spain, Abd ar-Rahman I started in 784 to rework St Vincent church into a mosque. Over the next centuries, his descendants gradually developed it, completing it in 987.
Exterior wall of the mosque on the street where our hotel was.
Inside the mosque.
The Mihrab
Looking up from the Mihrab
further up
Statue of Alverroes by the old city wall. http://www.iep.utm.edu/ibnrushd/
Bell Tower in the Mezquita
Looking down from the CalahorraTower at the far side of the Roman bridge from the Mezquita.
Looking through the Tower’s ramparts towards the Mezquita.
CalahorraTower at the far side of the Roman bridge from the Mezquita, where there is now a nice museum of the Islamic period.
I think this is part of the Islamic period water management system.
Islamic period water wheel, I think.
Floor of the Casa de Safared.
Synagogue in the Casa de Safared.
A statue of Maimonides, the great Jewish intellectual.
The synagogue is small; from the early 14th century.
The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, begun by the Muslims in the 8th century, developed by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella.
The East Wall of the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
North Wall
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos – and the moon.
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos – and the moon.
The arch for King Philip II. The stands are in preparation for Holy Week celebrations.
Capilla of St Augustin in the Mezquita.
The Cathedral was built in the middle of the Mosque.
The Altar
The choir chairs are of the lives of Jesus and Mary, and the martyrs of Córdoba.
You can see a representation of how she died in the background.
The royal chapel in the Mezquita where royalty used to be buried.
Santiago
Ferdinand III
The Monstrance in the Treasury
St Augustin
Reviewing stand ready for Palm Sunday
Once again, we took Rick Steve’s advice; this time it led us to the Bodegas Campos, where we had a fabulous meal of bull tail stew. Being good Americans, we were the first ones there when it opened for dinner at 8:30. It was packed by the time we left, when self-respecting Spaniards began arriving.
Wine barrels in the Bodega.
A very cute girl I had dinner with at the Bodega.
Looking at the Roman bridge
Our hotel – also a Rick Steves suggestion.
A nice fellow by a Mezquita door.
Nice place for a glass of wine.
Our room
From our window
A street corner I liked.
Connie in our hotel window.
My favorite view of Córdoba.
Lowell Gustafson 