Glimpses of Cordoba

Having already arrived in Granada I wanted to post just a little taste of Cordoba …. I know by tomorrow I will be focussed on the Alhambra … so … our first experience was the Archeological Museum … where we realised that every time someone excavates they find evidence of previous settlement.

Here is Crouching Aphrodite, a Roman sculpture from the 2nd C BC. …and below is one of the coin hordes that have been unearthed. People hid their wealth in troubled times, and sometimes they did not recover it.

We stayed very close to the Mezquita, in the old Juderia where tiny streets opened into courtyards, offering shelter and safety to residents of old. Below is the famous Calle de Flores, street of flowers, with a view to the Mezquita Torre del Alminar, the once minaret but now bell tower.

There were many grand houses here for wealthy Christians long ago, some like this still look rather fine, at least the facade remains … while behind it there are modern apartments.

Of course fountains trickled and splashed almost everywhere, so the cooling sound of water played hide and seek with us as we walked. This one is in the Orangerie of the Mezquita, where it provides delicious cool drinking water to all approaching pilgrims or tourists.

Last night in the twilight I photographed this outer wall of the Mezquita, its golden doors glowing softly …

…and a few minutes later people in this little hidden square, just locals, and can you see one man is wearing a pink bow on his head as a reference to the Feria?

This morning before we left I walked over the Roman bridge to look back to the Mezquita and surrounding buildings …

The stone used for construction is mellow honey colour, used and reused as buildings are demolished for building materials through the centuries. We really enjoyed Cordoba, its little streets, friendly people and glorious reminders of human creativity and skill.

 

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