Nowhere else in the world do the cultures of Christianity,
Islam and Judaism stand side-by-side the way they do in
Cordoba, the former capital of Moorish Spain.
Ruler Abd ar-Rahman II began the construction of Cordoba's
Great Mosque, La Mezquita, as an alternative to Mecca. With
an original script of the Koran and a bone from the arm of
Muhammad, La Mezquita was one of the most sanctified
spots in the world.
It's certainly one of the most beautiful, with the multiple
columns and Byzantine prayer niche. What makes it unique,
however, is the Christian cathedral built inside by Catholic
King Ferdinand III, making the Mosque a true synthesis of art,
religion and history. Visitors enter through the Patio de los
Naranjos, a classic Islamic court which preserves both its
orange trees and the fountains for ritual purification before
prayer.
North of the Mezquita lies the Juderia, Cordoba's old Jewish
quarter, an important world center of Jewish culture in the
Spanish Middle Ages. The quarter remains unchanged, just
as Seneca and Maimonides saw it, full of narrow streets
with white limestone painted houses and charming
overhanging balconies overhanging quaint small shops. The
best sight is the old Synagogue, built in 1492 and still
standing on Judios (Jews) Street. Its walls show the
laborious plaster work characteristic of Mudejar art.
Yet another great reason to visit Cordoba is the chance to
visit any of the numerous annual festivals, dedicated to
various religious figures. Perhaps the most famous is Holy
Week, held during Easter. It consists of 32 separate
processions and about 60 platform displays with the figures
of saints under which thousands of penitents worship. The
Crosses of May are also popular, with crosses made of
flowers bedecking the public squares and inner courts of
local houses.
The month ends with the Fair of Nuestra Seņora de la Salud,
where the streets are lined with girls dressed in gypsy or
typical Cordoba costumes and men on horseback, enjoying
the flowing white wine and dancing.
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