Day 6 (December 18, 2012)   Cordoba: Mosque and Alcazar


Before   

Map of Cordoba

    This day is entirely spent in Cordoba and we should visit all the highlights of this city.

   The highlights we want to visit there are at the map at right. We can see we’re not going to leave the city center for all these visits where we’re also allocated.

   The spots marked at map are:
 0- Hotel Los Patios
 1- Calahorra Tower
 2- Roman Bridge
 3- The Great Mosque
 4- Alcazar of Christian Kings
 5- Jewish quarter
 6- Ancient walls
 7- Synagogue
 8- Square of Corredera
 9- Roman Temple

After

   
   Today we indeed wake up early as the alarm beeps at 7 AM in order to being at Great Mosque door at 8:30 AM. The breakfast we have included is what they call “Andalusian breakfast” and it’s just a hot drink, as coffee or cacao, and a bread roll, toasted and opened, with jam and butter.

   We take advantage of being just 20 meters from the entrance to the Great Mosque and walk across the courtyard of the orange trees to get inside, which is looking quite dark from outside, and get astonished.

Entrance to Great Mosque of CordobaForest of columns in Great Mosque of Cordoba
















   This is spectacular. There are no walls so the large place appears in all its size full of white and red arches help by jasper pillars making a fantastic and dense forest on which we’re feeling attracted to join.

Great Mosque of Cordoba
Great Mosque of CordobaGreat Mosque of Cordoba

















   In the middle of the whole thing was built a cathedral and in the walls delimiting the whole Mosque-Cathedral appear compositions whether catholic or Muslim ancient art. We’re amazed and explore every corner as don’t want to miss a single thing.

Cathedral of CordobaCathedral of Cordoba















Courtyard of the orange trees











Courtyard of the orange trees

















   The visit concludes at open air, in the courtyard of the orange trees, full of beautiful pictures.

   When we leave the mosque we have still one hour for Alcazar, so we walk to it with the idea of exploring around it a little bit.

   We see the ancient walls of the city and the statue of Averroes and the we go to the other side to explore the narrow streets there.

Ancient walls of CordobaStatue of Averroes
















   I’m looking for the synagogue but I can’t find it. It must be one of the doors we passed by, so we walk again for the street it is supposed to be according to the map paying special attention but the result is the same. With this walk we’re back to the Roman Bridge area, where we pass by Triumph of Saint Raphael to come back to the Alcazar.

Around SynagogueTriumph of Saint Raphael




























   It’s 10:15 AM when we get into the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs and we indeed are allowed to entrance for free although there are a ticket box and guards.

Entrance to Alcazar of CordobaHall in Alcazar of Cordoba
















   We find quickly the way to go up on the walls and explore this area and the towers.

Spiral stairs to reach the top of the wallsOver the walls of the Alcázar de Córdoba










Over the walls of the Alcazar of Cordoba

















   Somehow, as usual, the best of these higher areas are always the views.

Views from the AlcazarViews from the Alcazar















Views of Roman Bridge from the Alcazar

   Once down, and after exploring the few rooms inside, we go out to the courtyards where we can check doves here enjoy their private pool when thinking nobody is watching.

Courtyard in Alcazar of CordobaDove's pool
















   What we like the most are the gardens, which we explore enjoying their beautiful corners.

Alcazar's gardensAlcazar's gardens















Alcazar's gardensAlcazar's gardens

















   It’s here where we find the exit, which is taking us to the broad avenue on the riverside and we use for coming back to the hotel as, although it’s only 1:20 AM, we’ve already finished our list of visits on this city.

   We rest for a while at room but in the desk we’ve got new tasks to do when hearing we’re done with Cordoba. The new visits are further than the ones we’re done and we walk to Palace of Viana area, looking at the palace just from outside, but well enough as per seeing the Plaza de los Capuchinos (Capuchins’ Square) and the Christ of the Lanterns.

Christ of the Lanterns in Plaza de los CapuchinosPlaza Capuchinos















Walking by the streets of Cordoba's city center

   It’s then when we decide to coming back and lunching at the same time by joining to one of the uses of this province: stopping at bars in our way and taking some small beers and eating the tapa coming with them. The average price is 1.50€ by glass of beer with tapa, so we get our hotel well eaten and a dizzy.

   We’ve enjoyed these streets and the local customs and we go upstairs to our room for another of these: siesta.



Plaza CompañíaArchaeological Museum in Plaza Compañía
















   When we’re out again after our nap is already dark and we just want a quick dinner. Burger King at next door fits exactly on this purpose and we can get our dinner by 10.74€ in total. We must have our baggage ready as this is our last night out of home.