Cordoba, Spain (English)

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Greetings, fellow Steemians!

Cordoba is the capital city of the province that shares its name, and is one of Spain's most historic cities. Many have called Cordoba home. Neanderthals, Romans, Moors, and Christians have all lived here. While the Moors established the seat of their “Caliphate of Cordoba” here, when they controlled the Iberian Peninsula. Under the Moors, Cordoba became a center for creativity and learning and is even considered to have been the cultural capital of Europe at the time.

While living abroad, I had the opportunity to visit Cordoba for a long weekend and, of course, took along the 7D. The EF-S 10-22mm lens is an amazing tool for narrow streets and architecture, so it was my "walk-around" lens during the day. The 50mm f/1.4 prime was perfect for the evening and night exploration.

Tourists enjoying a view from Cordoba's castle

With amazing history and architecture, as well as incredible food, Cordoba is a great place to visit. If you're planning a summer visit, though, plan for heat. This area is referred to by Spaniards as the "Frying Pan," as it is often the hottest place in Andalusia!

The great Mosque of Cordoba (La Mezquita) is the most famous building in Cordoba, of course, and is definitely worth a visit. I was able to visit free of charge, because I arrived when they opened the doors for the day, an hour before mass. Visiting hours start after mass, and you will be expected to leave, unless you're taking part in the mass.

Mezquita arches

An added benefit of going early is that there are fewer people to get in your shots. These days, it is difficult to avoid a photo with a tourist holding up their cell phone or taking a selfie!

More arches

After the retaking of Cordoba during the Reconquest, the center of the mosque was converted into a church. This is still a contentious topic today, and there are those who would like to restore the mosque to its pre-church state.

Beautiful back wall of the mosque, with its arch and columns

The practice of destroying one faith's place of worship to build another is not unique to Catholicism, and there are many places where the invading Moors demolished Christian churches to build mosques. The Cathedral of Toledo, for example, has been a church, a mosque, a synagogue, and a church again. Only three Synagogues from before the 1500's survive to this day. Two are in Toledo. The third is in Córdoba.

The synagogue is a short walk from the Mezquita. Jewish architects emulated the Moorish style in its construction, but in their own way. The result is a very small, but ornate structure. Because it is such a tight area, I took the photo at 10mm. The warping of perspective is a little intense!

Cordoba synagogue

The Romans also left their mark on "Corduba," as it was then called. These were the most prominent Roman ruins in the city's center, although there are archaeological dig sites elsewhere, including under the city's bus station.

According to the signage posted next to it, this Roman mosaic was found in 1959 after having spent some 1800 years lost beneath the rubble. Several other mosaics have also been found and restored, and are on display in Almodovar castle.

The Almodovar Castle is a bit of a walk through a newer part of the city, but there are some interesting stops along the way, including some beautiful views and one very ugly structure!

A gate in the old city center's protective wall

Heading through the gate, you'll come across an interesting place where old butts up against new in a very visible barrier. The next image almost looks as if time stopped at the little stream.

Did this little moat defend the city against time itself?!

The aforementioned eyesore is a short walk beyond the little moat. The locals still refer to this as the "Palacio," but the luxury hotel has had several other names. Apparently, the architect wanted to incorporate rust into his design to "blend" with the city’s aged aesthetic. Here was the result. It's like something out of a Mad Max movie!

Palacio Hotel, Cordoba

Loving the 50mm here! The designer street lamp really pops with the rust bokeh!

A little further, and things become even more modern. Here is what apartment living in Cordoba looks like:

Cordoba apartment complex

Time for a snack! Just entering the new part of the city, there are some great cafes and restaurants with local food. The "flamenquín" and "Salmorejo" (or "porra) are two local dishes I highly recommend. If you're visiting in the warmer part of the year, the salmorejo will be particularly delicious. It's a tomato soup that's served cold, like gazpacho, but thicker. On this occasion, I opted for a "glorieta" and coffee at a corner bakery.

Glorieta and café con leche

Modern part of Cordoba

Just before the reaching the Almodovar, I found the stables and ducked in for a few photos. They have quite a beautiful collection of coaches and carriages, some show rooms, and a large open area to work with the horses.

Carriages at the stables

The Almodovar Castle has been quite well restored, for the most part. It includes a museum with the Roman mosaics mentioned earlier, and there are some great views of the area from the towers. A large garden with beautiful fountains and statuary stretch out beneath the structure and are a great place for an evening stroll or a selfie, if you're into that!

Somewhere in the Almodovar

Somewhere else in the Almodovar

View from the castle tower

The first image in this article, with the tourists looking out through gaps in the castle wall, was taken from the same spot as the previous image. I rarely take photos with people, especially if their faces are visible, but that shot was just too good to pass up!

Back in the old city center, head toward the river for some more amazing structures. A large triumphal arch sits just before the Roman bridge that crosses the Guadalquivir river. The bridge is quite well known, especially after being used in the Game of Thrones series.

Roman Bridge

Another fortified structure called "la Torre de Calahorra" (Calahorra Tower) sits at the other end of the bridge. It houses a nice little museum and, for a small entry fee, can see scale models of what the Mezquita would have looked like before the church was added and even climb to the tower roof for some great panoramas of the city. This next image was taken from within the tower.

Roman Bridge

Look closely, and you'll see the Triumphal Arch at the far end of the bridge and the roof of the Mezquita and its tower to the right, rising above the city.

I lived in Spain for several years and hope to return, someday. Being from the USA, I don't have EU citizenship and finding an employer to sponsor my visa has proven incredibly difficult. Maybe finishing this masters program will help!

Thank you for taking the time to view this article. I hope you found it interesting and appreciate my work, especially the photography! If so, please be sure to click that up-vote as it is greatly appreciated, as are your comments and constructive criticism.

Stay tuned! I hope to write another long-format article about Granada in the next couple of weeks!