Our B&B is in Calle Moriscoe where we are staying with Maria and Xavier. During our Andalusian holiday we are staying in four places, and in three of them out hostess is called Maria! We have been doing our best to use a little Spanish, and can get along fine for ordering, saying hello and thank you. But pronouciation is not consistent. Some people say grasseeass, some say gratheeass. Our host is Xavier, pronounced Zaveeay. But the Ximinez sherry is pronounced Himineth.
Inglish pronunsseeayshun is so much simpla!
The Mesquita is Cordoba's mosque and cathedral, built on a monumental scale. Like Seville cathedral, it has a courtyard of oranges, where Muslim worshippers would wash before entering the mosque. The Spanish for courtyard is patio, which is pronounced padio like an American would. The medievil mosque is huge, and is in a square floor plan, unlike most churches which are cruciform. I think the floor area is two or three times bigger than Lincoln Cathedral.
When King Fernando took Córdoba from its Muslim rulers dedicated the mosque as a cathedral, but didn't demolish the structure. Inside the Mesquite the wooden ceiling is supported by hundreds of slender marble columns which have double arches above the capitals. Many of the columns were taken from Roman and Visigothic buildings. Much of the gorgeous Islamic decoration survives, including the Mihrab they holiest wall of the mosque facing Mecca.
In the 16th century a baroque cathedral was built inside the original mosque. It's is a very beautiful and elaborately decorated building, on which no expense was spared. It's a bit like St Pauls in London, but with extra Catholic decoration overlayed, in a thick layer.
I invested 3.5 Euros in an audio guide, one of those you carry round and enter a number at a location to get a description. Jesus it was annoying! There are no numbers or location signs inside the Mesquite, so you have to have a good sense of direction inside the forest of columns and chapels. I haven't, so I rarely pressed the right number and the commentary made no sense. As a non-Catholic, all the religious language made no sense to me, it was Immaculate this and Assumption that with more Saints than I could follow. There should be an audio guide for Heathens in a Hurry. The Mesquita is a memorable building that shows how for hundreds of years two great cultures coexisted,
The Mercado de Victoria is a modern building in the style of a Victorian Market hall, which sits in a park outside of th old city walls. It is foodie heaven with many small cafes selling tapa, pinchos, jamon, beer wine and other delicious food and drink. Just for a change from tapas we ate sushi and teriyaki chicken with rice, all freshly prepared and washed down with a cana (small glass) of beer.
Our final destination in our tour round historic Córdoba was the Alcazar Real, the Royal castle next to the Mesquita overlooking the river by the Roman bridge. It is an imposing fortress built by the Christian Kings over Roman foundations. It is much smaller and less elaborate than its namesake in Seville. It has some huge Roman mosaics which have been moved from other locations and put onto the walls of a hall.
The gardens are extensive and well kept with many rectangular ponds and colourful flower beds.
Moorish arches in the Mesquite
The Magreb of the mosque,
Inside Mercado Victoria
Gardens of the Alcazar
"Inglish pronunsseeayshun is so much simpla!"
ReplyDeleteyou got me widely smiling here :)