La Mezquita de Cordoba

Cordoba has to be one of the most interesting places out there. And so after a day and a half of being here we decided to interrupt our lunch to go and check out some of the history. Due to the plagiaristic wonders of the internet, I can now reliably inform you that Cordoba was the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Baetica and the Moorish Al-Andalus Caliphate. You gotta love Wikipedia! Anyway as a result of all this prominence and religious back and forth, the city contains some gems, foremost of which is the Mezquita, or Mosque. Within the mosque, which was built from the mid 8th century onwards, is the cathedral. After the reconquista the Spanish religious leaders showed remarkable restraint and sense in not knocking down the whole thing but co-opting it for their own purposes. The end result is tremendous - the whole complex is a mix of Islamic and Christian design and imagery. Surrounding the vast, gloomily lit domed interior are a mix of ornate Catholic chapels and Islamic prayer niches covered with calligraphy. It is truly stunning. Check out way more about it at a few of these links: Sacred Destinations, Islamic Architecture, or this gallery