Jews, Muslims, Christians

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Home of Maimonides and his Muslim equivalent Averoës, seat of the Caliphate and a major triumph of the Reconquista, Cordoba is steeped in history for all three Abrahamic religions.

We began our historical tour yesterday by exploring the Juderia, which includes the Plaza Juda Levi and Plaza Maimonides and the Casa Sfard, a Jewish Museum with a strong emphasis on Maimonides. One fascinating thing we learned was that the Spanish still use the term 'mantenerse sus trece' (literally to hold one's 13) to mean to hold one's ground, a reference to Maimonides', 13 Principles of Faith. Casa Sfard also had a small but interesting exhibition about significant Jewish women of historic Cordoba, with imaginative photographic images of how they may have looked. The synagogue is closed for renovations in the lead-up to its 700th anniversary but we found a Sfardi restaurant called Casa Mazel and ate a very nice dinner in their pretty courtyard. It was a pleasure not to have to trawl through a menu weeding out the high proportion of foods with jamón or mariscos.

The ultimate expression of the clash of religions in Moorish Spain is the spectacular Mezquita, which we visited today. Built as a mosque and later converted into a cathedral, it expresses history in architecture with extraordinary eloquence. The most striking features are the hundreds of red and white striped arches, their geometric lines so emblematic of Islamic styling. The mosque was extended several times and at its height could accommodate 40,000 worshippers! The site was used as a temple as far back as Roman times and excavations show evidence of a Temple of Juno and an early Basilica on the site. When the Christians comquered Córdoba 1236 even they recognised it was too beautiful to pull dow. So converted the mosque into a cathedral. About 300 years later the bishops managed to persuade Charles V (who had nevere visited Córdoba) to approve the construction of a high altar and choir of baroque gold. They are is so out of place it is almost funny. Even Charles V admitted when he saw it that he had allowed a terrible desecration to occurs. Despite those travesties and the many Christian chapels edging the building, the Mezquita still feels like a magnificent Islamic building and there is still some stunning geometric ornate work where the mihrab once stood. It really is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and even the Reconquista failed to destroy the sense of power and tranquility in those arches.

When we left the Mezquita there was a fabulous musical group performing Spanish music so we sat in the shade and listened before lunching on salmorejo, a traditional Cordoban cold soup, and retiring for swim and siesta. Bliss!

Later we visited Museum of 3 Cultures with fabulous sunset views from Tower of Calahorra. Córdoba is an amazing place and we have loved our time here.

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