Memento - A Picture Tells A Thousand Words

Day 3: Cordoba - the heart of Andalucia

Click Thumbnails to Appreciate Images

A desert of arches, the Mezquita was the largest Islam Mosque in the early 10th and 11th Centuries and today stands as the only Cathedral-Mosque in the whole world.

A desert of arches, the Mezquita was the largest Islam Mosque in the early 10th and 11th Centuries and today stands as the only Cathedral-Mosque in the whole world.

One can enter the Mezquita from the Patio de los Naranjos (Oranges) where the trees still bear orange fruits which you can keep if it falls on the ground.

Arches seem endless as Christians kept intact all these even after reconquering Cordoba from the Muslims in the 13th century. They merely added the Cathedral on its right side to create the only Cathedral-Mosque in the world.

A play of images where the cross from the tabernacle is seen from an Islam doorway - great shot by my wife.

As if the arches of Cordoba weren't enough - a colorful arch - a rainbow guided us back home to Granada

A counterpoint of civilizations - the Jewish quarter walls on the left, a Roman bridge in front, the Mezquita at the back and St. Raphael's statue at the plaza are all seen by this horse in front of the touristic plaza

Cordoba, was a long drive from Granada. The trip took us close to 3 hours as we got fascinated by the utter endless rows of olive trees of Jaen, another city worthy of a detour. Cordoba was founded by the Romans and was a strategic port being the highest navigationable point of the Guadalquivir River. It was used for shipping Spanish olive oil, wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome. To do this, the Romans built a mighty bridge (El Puente Romano) crossing the river. When the Moors took over Cordoba, they created the Great Mosque or "Mezquita" with its rows of pillars and arches - one of the largest in all of Islam. As again awed by the splendor and paying respect to Islam, the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city, left the mosque standing. They decided to build their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns, and creating the extraordinary and hair-raising mosque-cathedral we see today. The only one of its kind in the world. A perfect example that coexistence can be experienced if all of us continue to give respect and be at peace with our Islam brothers.

Driving home, we were followed by twin arches - no not those with pillars like the ones in Mezquita - but twin rainbows...

<< Previous * Home * Archive * Next >>

Bookmark this post on:

Day 2: Alhambra - the Jewel of Andalucia

Click Thumbnails to Appreciate Images

A patio lined with 124 slender marble columns and guarded by 12 marble lions, which see every nook and cranny of this creation by Muhammad V

A patio lined with 124 slender marble columns and guarded by 12 marble lions, which see every nook and cranny of this creation by Muhammad V

If the wooden and cement arches weren't enough, there were also green arches - this showing Patio de Machuca

the rule of Islam in Spain wouldn't be complete without such ornate decors and designs as seen from the Alhambra walls

A pool which provides light to the surrounding halls, was an inspiration to the more famous pool in front of India's Taj Mahal - made 3 centuries after the Alhambra

Bird's Eye View of Albaicin - click this image to enlarge - its worth it

Its not just totally walls of red plaster and rocks which provide the beauty to Alhambra - but flowers abound to really make it a paradise on Earth

The Christians after succeeding the Muslims couldnt resist not maintaning this place

A great view of the ever-snowy caps of Sierra Nevada mountain ranges

Gypsies brought Flamenco - (the artistic expression of sorrows and joys of life - captured in a dance) to Granada - and Granada brought it across the region. Here are Flamenco dresses as souveniers

Possibly the most outstanding example of Islamic Architecture surviving in the Western World

Alhambra, a mere 30 minutes drive from where we stayed, was built piece by piece spanning across more than 3 centuries. Granada being the last stronghold of Islam before the Catholic monarchs, Isabel and Ferdinand (important names too, in the colonization of the Philippines), is a concrete manifestation of Muslims being nature loving, peaceful and great architects of civilization. We spent the entire day wandering the streets of its old quarters and we realized that there are so much in common among us Christians and Muslims - foremost example is the great appreciation of "heaven on earth", simply called, Alhambra.

<< Previous * Home * Archive * Next >>