Becoming Familiar With My Surroundings

Córdoba is known for pretty much one tourist attraction: La Mezquita.  I really love the fact that my city doesn’t have a huge pull for tourists, as it’s generally just a daytrip for many people who stop by to see the mosque and then go on their merry way.  This means that the Júderia (the old Jewish quarter) where the Mezquita is located is the only place in Córdoba where I ever hear English, and I feel like I’m living in a real city rather than just a sea of tourists.

However, I have a confession: I’ve never been inside La Mezquita.

It wasn’t on purpose, it’s just that I never got around to visiting the mosque in my first couple of weeks here in Córdoba, and by the time I was ready to go see it, everyone I knew had already been there.  On top of that, I started to get to know my new city by going to less-visited historical sites and… now I’ve been here for two months without seeing it.  But, I have a plan!  Katherine is coming to visit me tomorrow, at which point we will partake in un montón of touristy activities, including my inaugural visit to La Mezquita.  Stay tuned!

As for the other touristy things I’ve done in Córdoba…

Back in October, I visited the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Palace of the Christian Kings) with my friends Emily, Megan, and Niki, who are other American auxiliares in Córdoba.  Despite its grandiose name, the palace is really just the Alcázar of Córdoba.  Most Spanish cities have an alcazar, which is a Spanish word that essentially means “castle” or “fort.”   You may remember that I visited the Alcázar in Sevilla as well, which makes the Córdoban version look like child’s play, to be honest.  However, the beauty of sightseeing in a small city is that you never pay more than 3€ and the monuments are seldom crowded.

view of the city from the tower

Megan giving the statue some love

peligroso

group shot

Megan and Emily

water feature

ceilings in the baths

The best part of the Alcázar of Córdoba is its gardens, which were still in full bloom in late October.  Fountains trimmed with flowers and meticulously groomed trees adorn the grounds surrounding the palace, making the entire place seem like a fairytale wonderland.

my favorite fountain

picture perfect

crazy trees-- Megan for scale

gardens

one of those Christian kings

every castle has a fish pond

European paintbrush?

I also visited a Córdoban claim to fame much more impressive than the Alcázar: the ancient ruins of Medina Azahara.  The ruins are of an Arab Muslim palace and city that was built around 936 by Abd-ar-Rahman III, who was the Caliph of Córdoba at the time.  The city was immense with mosques, public buildings and residences, gardens, baths and much more, all supplied with water by internal aqueducts. 

recovered artifacts in the museum

water jug

the descent

overlooking the ruins

Moorish architecture

touristing

Sadly, the palace and city only lasted for less than a century, as it was pillaged in 1010 during a civil war.  This war resulted in the termination of the Caliphate of Córdoba, which in turn meant that the ruins of Medina Azahara were abandoned for the next millennium.  In 1911, excavation at the site revealed a lost city that still holds many mysteries to this day.  Archaeologists estimate that what is now known as the ruins of Medina Azahara encompasses only 10% of the fallen city.  This is explained at the museum that lies at the entrance of the ruins.

the signature arches 

pillars

former government building, supposedly

edge of the excavated portion  

Cordoba in the distance

they still have some color!

Walking through Medina Azahara feels like going back in time.  I get that feeling a lot in Europe (mostly because living in Córdoba kind of feels like living in the 1950s) but I’ve never felt it so much as I did there.  Everything is ancient and crumbling, yet it feels strangely preserved.

Overall, the Alcázar and the Medina Azahara are sights worth seeing if you ever make it to Córdoba.  Hopefully La Mezquita isn’t overrated… I’ll find out in a few days!