Córdoba

30/12/2024

Córdoba is a city that I visited in one day during my stay in Seville in October 2019 together with my ex-travel partner and lover. During that trip I visited many places in Andalusia of which Córdoba was the last destination. This city was one of the most important destinations in Andalusia and I remember that also my sister who had visited it, had spoken very good of Córdoba saying that it was an absolute must-see. In fact, studying the city before leaving, I had realized that the main attraction of Córdoba was the Great Mosque of Córdoba or Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption known mainly as the Mezquita. This building was very complex both from an architectural point of view and as a place of worship because it was born as a mosque undergoing many structural changes over time, which is why different styles have been attributed to it, and as a destination of worship changing from a mosque to a Christian church. However, studying the city, I could see that there were also other interesting things to see and then the historic center was already a characteristic place in itself. We reached the city on a fast train leaving late in the morning from Seville and arriving in Córdoba before 11 AM.
From the city station as well as along the entire route to the old part, Córdoba was a succession of residential buildings but it also had Jardines de la Victoria. These gardens as they called them were a real green park of rectangular shape full of plants and trees. Inside there were also fountains and a large statue that stood on a small monument made up of columns. The park was parallel to the road and obviously we chose to walk inside it and only at the end walk along the outside part near Puerta de Almodóvar. This was one of the gates of the ancient city, with an arch shape and completely built in stone, it was only a part of the large wall that extended for hundreds of meters. Beyond the beauty and grandeur of the gate, what I did not expect was the wall; in perfect condition with rectangular fountains near Puerta de Almodóvar and decidedly monumental. Seeing that huge stone building right in front of more recent buildings created an incredible contrast, original to look at but personally I would not have built the new part so close to the city walls. Crossing Puerta de Almodóvar was like entering a new dimension, where the asphalt and classic sidewalks gave way to cobblestones and the urban planning from linear and wide became narrow with small asymmetrical streets and colored houses. Every now and then these streets opened onto an irregular wide area that gave the impression of being a lung that served the streets to breathe. We walked along these streets in themselves beautiful and fascinating until on one of these we saw the upper part of Torre Campanario. It was a very original view, a bit like those I had seen in Bruges but the difference was that in Córdoba there were the colors and the warm and exotic atmospheres that only a certain land can give. In fact, elements such as climbing plants, very colorful curtains and contrasting colors combined with that simple but not banal architecture, were a unique combination. The little road took us right under Torre Campanario which was imposing and majestic. The singular thing were the walls, also very high I think around four meters that surrounded the entire area of the cathedral giving it the appearance of a protected and mysterious place. Those walls gave me the impression of something that wanted to repel the intention of anyone who wanted to enter inside. It had probably been built with these intentions but personally it also gave me a sense of mystery and danger; like something secret that must not be discovered and crossed. The entrance to the large park of the cathedral was right near the tower and once inside, I had the impression of entering the second new dimension after Puerta de Almodóvar. Not only the impotence of Torre Campanario but also the cobblestones with the striped design and the trees all planted in a linear way, gave the park a very personal imprint. Even walking and moving inside the park, Torre Campanario stood out as a master element of the place even if from afar it had to be searched for through the trees and tall palms. I really liked those gardens for the calm they transmitted to me; I took many photos and for a long moment I even forgot that we were there to visit the Mezquita.

Puerta de Almodóvar

On my back the restaurant when we had lunch

Torre Campanario

Mezquita

We entered the cathedral when it was almost midday and immediately the view that opened up before us was also the most popular and well-known one; the infinite series of arches with the typical red stripes. The arches were striking because they were numerous and arranged both in parallel and in sequence. Normally in a church as well as in other structures, we can see a series of arches that are distributed on the sides or as a structural work of an entrance. Inside the Mezquita, the arches dismembered like a labyrinth because they were practically everywhere and beyond the scheme of the straight line, they also followed that of depth or perspective. In fact, walking around the cathedral there were glimpses where the view was lost up to the most distant arches that the perspective made seem small. I remember that I had a similar perspective during the visit to the royal stables in Meknès in Morocco, there were similar structures both inside and outside. In addition to the arches, what I immediately noticed inside the Mezquita was the light or rather the play of darkness and light. There was no real lighting inside but rather the light penetrated unevenly from the windows, many of which were on the roof. This detail created a very particular and effective light because it was very present near the window and then dimmer and with an oblique direction as we moved away from the light source. Certainly from a photographic point of view this created problems for me but in reality it was a suggestive and unique experience, an effect like those seen in some films where the visual impact is more important than the plot. Walking around the Mezquita was a real exploration of the unknown because at every corner something different could appear, such as windows on the floor that showed a lower floor made out of mosaic. Regardless of how the historical experts were able to reconstruct it, in my opinion it is difficult to understand the truth behind those different levels; in my opinion if some other type of structure is found two or three meters deep, that is the sign of some important event. An event that swept away the civilization that built what was deeper and that the next civilization then deliberately covered. What history makes us believe instead is that everything has always been passed down, a hypothesis that I personally do not believe in. Surely inside the Mezquita there were different structures from different eras and civilizations that perhaps had known each other; some parts in fact were more similar to works of Roman character just as there were doors in perfect Arabesque style. The mix of styles was visible and perceptible by anyone, even by those who had no idea about it because the works in question were large. It will probably seem banal but another original thing inside the cathedral were the particular plays of light created by the rose and colored windows. In fact, when they were crossed directly by the light, they projected the shape of the window itself on the ground with a rainbow hologram effect, a factor that reached its apotheosis when this hit people. In fact, I noticed how the light illuminated the people who passed through them; It was a kind of magical light that, when it hit the body, expanded and created unique shades. It was an effect that reminded me a lot of the teleportation effect in the first Star Trek TV series. It goes without saying that when I discovered it I tried to find one of those lights to have some photos taken with that surreal effect. I don't remember exactly how the structures were arranged inside the perimeter of the Mezquita, but I remember that the last things we saw were those of a more Christian nature. The large organs and the altar fully reflected the style of Christian structures, the altar in particular was very imposing, built in marble with Corinthian columns and a dome in the center of them. We stayed inside the Mezquita for about forty-five minutes, time passed in an interesting way as if it were a journey through time rather than a journey through styles. To be honest, what left me inside the Mezquita was more its Arab imprint and it is a fact that the structure was dominated mainly by arches. It is certainly a work that should be reviewed and studied with different eyes and a different awareness, let's say that for me it was a discovery but if I were to return I would concentrate more on the rational study of it.

"Scotty beam me down"

Puente Romano

We left the Mezquita at about 12:30 PM and by my calculations there was enough time to visit Torre Campanario before going to lunch. When we arrived at the ground floor of the building we discovered that the entrances were limited and you had to reserve a time for the visit. I did a quick calculation and together with my partner we agreed to reserve an entrance for 3 PM, in this way we could visit almost everything there was to see and be freer in the afternoon. Walking along one side of the cathedral feeling even more its size, we headed towards Puente Romano which was a few minutes walk away. Just before crossing the bridge I discovered Puerta del Puente, a majestic stone gate formed by a double colonnade on each side. The structure had a perimeter and a square shape although the upper central part was arched. On the side that faced the bridge, this arched part had a relief of the coat of arms and two men on either side of it. The structure was very beautiful and linear in shape where that round element broke the mold and gave it a tone of mystery. I can't say if the gate was originally just a part of a larger wall or just the base of a structure that grew even higher while still respecting that style. I can't even say if the central arched part had once been rectangular and only brought into that shape later. The fact is that not knowing the structure I was pleasantly surprised and as it happens in these cases, the sight of an element that strikes me but that I don't know gives me a positive charge. Puerta del Puente was the welcome to the most popular structure we were going to visit, Puente Romano, another notable work. To tell the truth, from its main "entrance", the bridge was not noticeable in its details and in fact having a completely new pavement, it did not give the sense of antiquity. From what I could see crossing it, even the concrete parapets were of new construction and only by leaning over them, I could see the ancient part of the bases on the water. In other words, the interesting thing about the bridge when crossing it was the views that could be had on both sides: that of the Mezquita and that of the Torre de la Calahorra, a structure also made of stone and larger than Puerta del Puente.
Torre de la Calahorra looked like the remaining part of a castle, perhaps the most exposed guard part. From the bridge side it looked like a large square wall but in the back part it was very different. In fact, walking around Torre de la Calahorra, the elements of a more complex structure emerged with a lower surrounding wall connected by several guard towers. Even the part of the tower had round elements joined to linear ones and seeing it from behind I had the impression that that was only a small part of what must have been the original structure. Especially the front part that could be seen from the bridge was probably an internal part that then came to light as a wall perhaps after a collapse. For me the Tower had become "the castle" and I enjoyed photographing it and studying it even if in a basic way. However, even if I was happy to have discovered that structure, I was not satisfied with the view of the bridge. Going down towards the shore I managed to find a useful perspective to be able to see it in its entirety and photograph it. The perspective was with the Mezquita in the background just behind the bridge and even after taking many photos there was something that didn't convince me. What I had found was not the classic view of the Puente Romano, however with a minimum of logic I managed to understand where the perspective was that I had seen in photos many times. Only after going back to Puerta de Puente and walking to the right of the bridge, I managed to find exactly the one I was looking for. From there I could see the entire line of the bridge with the half-moon stone bases where the arches rested. The view of the bridge was lost inside Torre de la Calahorra, as if it wanted to penetrate it. In other words I had immediately been close to the perspective I was talking about but only after a long search that took me to the other bank was I able to understand where it was. However, this search only intrigued me but never put me in a bad mood because I love discovery both in a positive and negative sense. On the way back towards the center I was able to see even better the facade of the lower part of the cathedral, the one that overlooked the bridge. It was composed of three levels of perfectly symmetrical arches with a strong visual impact. After leaving that area, we returned to the part of the center that we had visited at the beginning, there we went to have lunch in a restaurant that I had noticed upon our arrival and had struck me for its design so much so that I even had some photos taken. Fortunately, not only was the interior design on par with the exterior but there I ate a wagyu burger for the first time that was simply perfect, a flavor and consistency that I had never found in a burger.

Puerta del Puente

Puente Romano

Torre de la Calahorra

Looking for the right bridge view part I

Back side of Torre de la Calahorra

Looking for the right bridge view part II

The popular new of Puente Romano

Torre Campanario - Plaza de las Tendillas

We arrived at Torre Campanario a little early but let's say there were no particular formalities, queues or anything like that. After showing the ticket at the security, it took us about five minutes to get to the highest part that could be visited. We had basically arrived in a perimeter around the bells, a sort of very narrow corridor that however opened up on one side with a view of the historic centre of Córdoba. The entire structure was built of stone and the sense of solidity it conveyed was incredible, a feeling of safety despite being very high. The view from up there was pleasant but not particularly exciting. Personally, I’m very demanding regarding panoramic points and even if from there I could see the entire historic centre of Córdoba with the white houses and light brown roofs, this view was limited and not very extensive so it lacked depth. It must be said that the shape of the historic centre which also extended a little high up, gave more dynamism to the scene which certainly could not be considered flat. Without a doubt, although the view from up there was not very high, it was more beautiful than the one I had in Florence both from the much higher bell tower or the dome. Very particular, however, was the glimpse of the courtyard of the Mezquita, with the cloister and the trees; from above it was even more beautiful and seemed like an exotic park. In addition to the cloister, always on the same side, it was interesting to see how the structure developed, more than anything from a technical point of view than a visual one. The visit to Torre Campanario lasted about 15 minutes, spent in a calm and carefree way enjoying a simple view but from the perspective of a very imposing structure and eternal materials.
With Torre Campanario, our visit to Córdoba was almost over or at least we had finished seeing all the important things. However, since I still had some time available, I decided to take a different route to return to the station, a route that would take us through one of the characteristic streets to visit one of the most popular squares in the city and other works that I had considered secondary. On Calle Jesuis y Maria I saw for the first time the tarpaulins hanging between the buildings opposite, sand-colored tarpaulins that served to protect passers-by from the sun. They were rectangular in shape, real strips of enormous size; later, in other Spanish cities, I saw them of different types and shapes. The road took us to Plaza de las Tendillas, a very nice place that immediately struck me. Mainly, the thing that caught my attention was a building that in style was similar to the Metropolis building in Madrid or the building that houses Le Negresco hotel in Nice. The palace of Córdoba was also triangular in shape and had round motifs. There was a glass window in the corner part that covered three levels from the second floor. Also on top of the corner part there was a dome and above it a statue, I think it was bronze. The building was off-white in color and had a similar design building but wider that was placed transversally to it. Let's say that the glimpse with the two buildings that in turn were on one side of the square, acted as a dominant background because they took up a large part of the square. This had been visibly redeveloped and had a dark gray floor with a square paving and the design was modern like the disappearing fountain that sent water at intervals. I think the only classic thing was the statue of a person on horseback that stood on one side of the square which was surrounded by a fountain also with a modern cut. I must say that except for one modern building, the entire square had buildings with a more classic design therefore more beautiful that gave harmony despite the modernity of the rest. I liked the place and the view so much that I suggested to my partner that we stop for a drink right in front of my new favorite building. We stayed there for an hour and it was a moment that I still remember vividly, those magical sensations and immediate feelings with places that have no logical explanation.
After leaving Plaza de las Tendillas we went to see the Roman Temple of Córdoba which was nearby. They were the remains of a Doric colonnade at the foot of which there was a pattern of stone blocks. It was a place that could be seen from the street and where the contrast between the colonnade, which was in perfect condition while the stone blocks seemed to have survived an extreme event, was striking. Our walk continued on to the Ayuntamiento square, whose structure was totally anonymous but which had the Iglesia de San Pablo in front of it. This church was closed that day but it had a spectacular entrance formed by two spiral columns above which there was a smaller colonnade that protected the statue I suppose of San Paolo. Beyond the entrance which was a large arch, I could see the church itself where a rose window was striking which was disproportionately large compared to the rest of the structure. Being ahead of my time I decided to go and visit Plaza del Conde de Prego where there was a monument dedicated to Manolete, one of the greatest bullfighters of all time. The square was rectangular and the monument dedicated to the matador showed Manolete with a triumphant look with his cape open at the height of his belly. To his side but in a lower position there were two horses with two young men in the act of calming them. This was the last place we visited in Córdoba, a sort of homage to the city embodied by the spirit of Manolete who as a matador elevated the spirit of man bringing it to a dimension of one who is not afraid and lives his life as a continuous destiny challenging death in every bullfight.

Córdoba represented in a certain sense the end of the trip to Andalusia that took me through several cities in the region and which I talked about in previous posts. It probably represents the city that impressed me the least compared to the other destinations. Although I still have fond memories of that day, I have always considered it a visit too focused on a single point of interest. Perhaps it was more a mental condition of mine, a sort of prejudice combined with the fact that Córdoba was not linked to a personal reason. However, in the city I saw much more than I expected and to tell the truth I also forgot to visit one of the popular central streets, again due to the prejudice that beyond the Mezquita, everything else was less important. In the end, the visit to Córdoba was a pleasant surprise that made me even more aware that especially when traveling, prejudice should always be put aside or better yet, completely eliminated. Last year, returning to Andalusia, I did not return to Córdoba because I preferred to visit other cities that I had never seen. Unfortunately I think that next year if I return to Andalusia, I will still have to skip Córdoba because I have other priorities and I must say that it bothers me a little, but never say never; it could be that an unexpected nostalgia could take over my reason and bring me to Córdoba in an unexpected way.