Just When You Least Expect It........

So we are winding our way through the maze of streets of Old Town Cordoba. It would be easier to follow a step by step, do it yourself appendectomy kit directions. Nevertheless we know where our hotel is and we are searching the map for the street to get there. It is part of the fun of wandering these cities. But, a courteous Spanish woman asks if we need directions.
"Sure!" I reply, always eager to engage the locals.
"Let's see, we are here, I think." She says helpfully.
"Uh, I think the map is upside down," I suggestl
"Oh yes.....OK, we are right here." she tells us and points to the gates of the city on the other side of town.
"Hmmm, Maybe we are here!" I helpfully say.
"Yes, yes, of course. And you want to get to your hotel over there, so go down the street, turn left and you will be there!"
"Ah, thank you very much. Gracias!!" I respond.
We walk down to the end of the street, turn right and there is our hotel.


The city of Cordoba in Southern Spain sees itself as the great center of cultures which flourished in the Middle Ages and ushered in the Renaissance. I suppose Florence, Italy would take issue with this assertion but there is no denying the significance of Cordoba’s past and what its future might bring.

Old City Wall

We entered Cordoba via a simple one hour trip on the train from Malaga on the Mediterranean coast. Cordoba, Granada (where we were) and Seville (where we will not go) make up the center of the Andalusian region. I am not sure why Malaga on the coast gets less credit, maybe they figure they have a beach city and so that is glory enough for now. But our train trip was simple and we were taken to our hotel. Like so many of these cities in Europe (and I have mentioned this many times) there is an “old city” within the modern city. Turns out our hotel is tucked in way back in the winding streets of the old city, making for some interesting first few hours as we wove among the streets trying to find our way.

The centerpiece of this city is the Mesquitza. This ancient wall cathedral has had and interesting historic from the 7^th Century onward and it is one of the places to which I am most looking forward. We’ll visit it later today.

The City Streets of Old Cordoba

The edifice of the Mesquitza is a result of what this city trumpets; the intersection of the Moors (Muslims), Jews and Christianity. Throw in the pre-Christian Romans who were present before the other three and you have a real cultural mix….at least, in the Middle Ages they did.

We spent an hour wandering the labyrinth of streets of the Old City and finally made our way to the river which borders that part of the river. Across it are many modern bridges which seem out of place up against the old buildings. We went to the Torre de la Calahorra which was a Moorish tower and had been used over the centuries as a guard tower, prison and school. Today is houses an interactive museum which showcases the intersection of the three great religions in Cordoba around the 12^th century. You hear from a great Muslim thinker (Iban-Arabi) and Jewish Philosopher (Mainmodides) and Christian King Alphonso X. All encouraged the three faiths to live in peace and harmony. There is no doubt that these great men were forward thinking. One could go up on the top of the Tower and view the city river and the Mesquitza. Finally I could get my bearings.

But the history of this city is a bit more complex than just great Muslim, Jewish and Christian thinkers espousing tolerance and harmony, and indeed many did so. Cordoba also has a fascinating history of intolerance too. Early Romans established a colony here. Under their reign a Christian church was established and then in the 7^th Century the Moors (Muslims) swept into the city and took it over. They paid for the Christian church and then tore it down and built the magnificent Mosque which is today the Mesquitza.

But that was not all. In the 12^th Century the Christian Monarchs swept back into the city and tossed out the Moors. Most of these Muslims headed for nearby Cordoba where Islam held sway for another 250 years. There was some intention of tearing down the Mosque (Mesquitza) and rebuilding a Christian Cathedral on the site. But the Mesquitza proved to be too beautiful for even the Christians to destroy. So they gave it a Christian name and tore out a section or two here and there around the ediface and worshipped there. (I’ll have more on this historical situation tomorrow.)

The story continues. The Spanish Inquisition was held here for awhile, as they tried to ascertain if Jews were masquerading as Christians or had really converted to Christianity. Today there are the remains of a 13^th Century Synagogue in the Old City near one of the ancient walls. Parts of Torah were engraved were on the walls and have been preserved. On one wall you can see the remaining painting of a Christian Cross which was there when the Synagogue was used as a Christian Church. Only a couple other old Synagogues survived the Middle Ages. It was a violent time which grew out of the flowering of philosophy, religion and art under the Moors and later the Christians.

There is also a tower called the Torre de la Malmuerte.....if you know your Spanish, you won't want to miss that place. I'll check it out.

And if that is not enough history; consider this….Christopher Columbus had his first meeting with Isabella and Ferdinand in this city of Cordoba concerning an idea of financing a trip by ship and sailing West to reach the Indies. I won’t give away the ending of how that meeting went.

Peace, Bob