Route: Cordoba
Area: Spain, Andalusia
Date of walk: 18th March 2019
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.0 miles
Ascent: 200 feet
Weather: Sun and blue skies, very warm
Having caught the train yesterday from Seville (click here for that walk), we arrived in Cordoba and checked in at the Hotel La Llave de la Judería
The hotel (which I can highly recommend) is superbly located in the heart of the old Jewish Quarter of the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
There are many famous attractions in the city, but there is one which is unmissable – the extraordinary Mezquita, which is both a mosque and a cathedral, and is the most important monument in the Western Islamic world. The building began life as a Visigothic church, was rebuilt as a great mosque 784-987 AD, and then reconsecrated as a Christian church in the 13C when a large cathedral was constructed within the heart of the mosque
On the afternoon of our arrival we went for a short stroll around the town in order to get our bearings, and on the next day, as soon as we’d finished our breakfast, we made a beeline for the Mezquita, a 2 minute walk from the hotel. Admission is free between 8.30-9.30 am and we spent the allotted hour gazing in awe at the incredible architecture
After leaving the cathedral we crossed over the Roman bridge to visit the Calahorra Tower built in 1369, and climbed up to the roof for views back over the city. We then re-crossed the bridge and spend a couple of hours exploring the Jewish Quarter, a maze of whitewashed narrow medieval streets
Beer and tapas at one of the many pavement restaurants was followed by a return visit to the Mezquita (it was much quieter at the end of the day), and a climb up the adjacent bell tower for some spectacular views over Cordoba – a great end to a great day’s walking
More was to come though, as we had a couple of hours to spare the next day before moving on to Grenada, and this gave us a perfect opportunity to visit the Alcazar Gardens (‘Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos’). The Alcazar itself is a fortress/palace built in 1328 and worth a visit in its own right but its crowning glory is its Moorish style gardens, beautifully designed and planted. We arrived at the entrance at opening time, which was 8.15am today, and at this early hour we had the place to ourselves. I’ll let the photos tell the story, but it was a fitting end to a wonderful short stay in this beautiful city
As with yesterday’s walk in Seville, I’ve not added our route to the Maps Page, but there are markers with photos highlighting the location of the main sights we saw
Click on the icon below for the route map
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
After checking into our hotel, we went for a short stroll around Cordoba
Plaza de las Tendillas
Plaza de los Banuelos
Jardines de la Merced in Plaza Colon
Fountain in Plaza Colon
The Convent of Merced, now the seat of the provincial government
Plaza de Capuchinos...
The 13th century Church of Santa Marina...
The Church of San Augustin
The Bell Tower of the Mezquita seen from our hotel, and we look forward to visiting it tomorrow...
...the next day, and before our visit to the Mezquita I rose at dawn to visit the Roman Bridge - this is the nearby Triumph of San Rafael, the guardian archangel of the city
I pass by the Mezquita as I walk through the Plaza del Triunfo...
...looking back
I pass through the Puerta del Puente - Gate of the Bridge - built in the mid 16th century
Sunrise over the River Guadalquivir
Looking back along the Roman Bridge, originally built in the 1st century BC, although it has been rebuilt several times over the years
Most of the present structure dates from the Moorish reconstruction in the 8th century - this is looking towards the Torre de la Calahorra, which we'll visit later in the day
Another monument to San Rafael on the bridge, with the Mezquita in the background
I make my way back into the old town...
A final view back along the bridge
On the way back to our nearby hotel, I pass by the Mezquita...
....and its Bell Tower
A short while later, we take advantage of free admission to the Mezquita, which is for one hour only between 8.30-9.30am (but if planning a visit check the website as times may vary). After that, it's necessary to buy tickets
This was one of the greatest buildings of the Islamic world, until its integrity was compromised after the Christians occupied the city and built a cathedral within the structure in the 16th century
An amazing fusion of styles - or an act of vandalism? Whatever your view on the subject it's a unique piece of architecture...
Our allotted hour is over all too soon and we have to leave - but will return later
The Bell Tower
We cross the Roman Bridge to visit the museum in the Torre de la Calahorra - this is the view from the top of the tower
We then cross back into the old town
Potted plants adorning the walls of the houses...
Time for a spot of lunch...
Later that afternoon we buy tickets to revisit the Mezquita, a good time to go since the intrusive tour groups have departed by now
More photos of this unique place...
Having bought tickets in advance (admission is limited in numbers) we visit the Bell Tower - the view illustrates how the Cathedral has been integrated within the former mosque
Looking down to the Patio de los Naranjos - Orange Tree Courtyard
The end of our visit to the Mezquita and the end of today's walk
Next morning, we have a couple of hours to spare before catching the train to Granada - a perfect window of opportunity to visit the gardens of the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Christian monarchs)
The gardens are laid out in formal Moorish style...
We walk over towards the old fortress
View from the fortress walls
Our short but very sweet time in Cordoba is over, and it's time to be heading for the railway station...
