Córdoba, Spain

After spending the morning in Seville, we traveled to Córdoba to spend the night. Like Seville, Córdoba began as a Roman town and gradually expanded, reaching its pinnacle under Moorish rule. In the 10th century, it was perhaps the largest city in the world with over half a million inhabitants. The Mezquita, an Islamic mosque, is the main sight in Córdoba and is regarded by many historians as the finest example of Middle Eastern architecture left in the Western world. Work first began in 600 A.D. when the Visigoths began building a church, but a century later, the Moors (Muslims from North Africa) conquered the area and began constructing a mosque on the sight. In 987, the last of the additions was made, and the mosque was completed. In 1236, Córdoba was re-conquered by a Christian king and the mosque was remade into a church. A major addition took place again in the mid-1500’s when a Renaissance-style nave was built in the middle of the cathedral. The last of the additions was made in the 19^th century and the church now functions as the official cathedral of Córdoba.

Many of the marble columns were made from the ruins of Roman temples in the area.

The central nave.

I believe this is an ancient Roman bridge that has been recently remodeled. Anyway, even if it isn't a Roman bridge, it still looks cool!