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I took the high speed train from Seville to Cordoba. Leaving the station I walked the two kilometres to the Mezquita. I did not immediately enter, but instead continued to the Guadlquivir and cross the Roman bridge which spans it. Because of the long day I also visited the Alcarzar de los Reyes. |
Standing on the southern side of the Guadalquiver, in the warm Andulasian sun, I gazed back at the Roman bridge. In my view also was the Roman Gate and the Cordoba Mezquito. The bridge dates from the 1st century BC but has gone under many modifications, including a major restoration in 2006. The gate was the gate into a walled Roman city.
To my eye the exterior of the Mezquito did not look very impressive. "Was it really the architectural wonder that I travelled from Seville in the morning, in the high speed train, to see?" To discover the answer, I walked back over the bridge and into the Mezquito.
Is the Cordoba Mezquita a mosque or a church? How many other places in the world do people say "I am going to the Mosque to attend mass?"
The Visigoth Basilica of San Vicente occupied the area when Cordoba was conquered by the Muslims in 711. The church was divided into a Christian half and a Muslim half. When the Christian half was purchased by the Emir 'Abd al-Rahman I in 784 the structure was demolished and the Grand Mosque of Cordoba built in its place. Its construction continued for the next 200 years, until the completion of the orange tree patio. When Cordoba was conquered by the Christian King Ferdinand III of Castile in 1236, the central area of the Mosque was converted into a Catholic church.
The Mezquita can be regarded as a cathedral surrounded by a mosque or a mosque with an internal cathedral. Cost of entrance, is 9 Euro. An optional auto tour can be purchase for 3.50 Euro.
Upon entering the prayer room the first thing to struck me was the subdued light and the rows and rows of marble columns arranged linearly in every direction. Of the original 1293 columns, 856 still remain. The wall separating the patio from the prayer hall did not exist in Islamic times. As the salvaged Roman columns were not high enough to support the ceiling at the required height double horseshoe arches were used to increase height. Alternate red and white bricks increased its asthetic appeal. Horseshoe arches were common in Visigoth architecture.
Ceiling supports are a combination of Roman and Visigoth styles. There is a small Visigoth Museum in the prayer hall.
In most Mosques the mibrah, a niche or mark in the wall which identifies the qibla, the wall which points in the direction of the Kbaal in Mecca. Muslims kneel to prayer in this direction. Mecca is south-east of Cordoba but the qibla points south. The reason for this is not really known. One explanation is the qibla follows a previous Roman road; another is the the Umayyad Ruler, exiled from Damacus, wanted it to face the same direction as the qibla in Damacus. Its a directional mystery like the orientation of the Khmer Temple in Phimai.
Another function of the Mibrah is to amplify the voice of the Imam leading prayers. Here acoutics are also enhanced by a shell-shaped ceiling carved from a single block of marble. The mibrah area is decorated with Byzantine mosaics of gold.
The current cathedral dates from the Renaissance period, between 1523 and 1599.
The bell tower, built on the site of a previous mineret, is 93 metres high.
Alcarzar de los Reyes was a bonus visit. A gift of the long summers day. An Andulasian summer's day reminds me of summer days on the plans of New South Wales around Wagga-Wagga coupled with the long Tasmanian summers day. It was fairly late when I arrived. In winter, it would have been sunset.
The Visigoth and Moor, have occupied the site. However in spite of its Islamic appearance the current structure was built after the Christian conquest of 1236. Though it was once a palace, today it is not very palatial. Only the Roman mosaics are of interest.
The castle, 4100 square meters and square, was rebuilt in 1327 by King Alfonso XI. It had towers at every corner. Today three remain, connected by battlement protected walkways. Many views of Cordoba can be seen from the walksways; the Roman Bridge; Water Wheel; the Royal Stables and the Castle Gardens.
Highlight of the Alcarzar de los Reyes, for me, is the 55000 square meter gardens. It has a wide variety of trees including lemon, palm, pine, orange and cypress. Fountains are located at path intersections. However the sense of relaxation is provided by sound, the sound of jetted water hitting water in the long ponds. I could sit for hours, in a semi-trance, listening.
Originally some of the water to the castle was supplied by the Albolafia waterwheel. Queen Isabella did not like the noise it was making and had it disassembled.
So in answer to my earlier question, "Is it the Mezquita the architectural wonder I travelled to see?
"Yes, it is the the architectural wonder that I travelled from Seville to explore"
A additional bonus was the tranquil sound of water hitting water in the Alcarzar Gardens.