Cordoba was one
of the prominent centers of learning and culture in the enlightened Muslim
world. While the rest of Europe was going through its dark ages, this was
the most prosperous and sophisticated metropolis in the continent.
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| Islamic Spain: a picture by Jason Rothe on iberia.com |
Following the
overthrow of his family (the Umayyads) in Damascus by the incoming Abbasids,
Prince Abd al-Rahman I escaped to southern Spain. Once there, he established
control over almost all of the Iberian Peninsula and attempted to recreate the
grandeur of Damascus in his new capital, Cordoba. He sponsored elaborate
building programs, promoted agriculture, and even imported fruit trees and
other plants from his former home. Orange trees still stand in the courtyard of
the Mosque of Cordoba, a beautiful, if bittersweet reminder of the Umayyad
exile. Furthermore, the glorious days of Cordoba were often described as a
'golden age' of learning where libraries, colleges, public baths were
established and literature, poetry and architecture flourished. Both Muslims
and non-Muslims made major contributions to this flowering of culture.
Amongst those great achievements were “the Great Mosque of
Cordoba”, “Madinat Al-Zahra”, “Flower Street”
and “Andalusi House”.
By Samran Ghazi on Forgotten History
The Great Mosque of Cordoba (La Mezquita)
The Islamic Art is mainly developed in the
cities that were once capitals of Al
Andalus. In Cordoba we found the most splendid monument of all
Western Islamic World, the Great Mosque. Its construction
commenced in 785, when Abd-ar-Rahman established Cordoba as capital of Al Andalus, on the site of an
ancient church dedicated to San Vicentee. Afterwards it was extended during
successive periods by Abd-ar-Rahman II, Al-Hakam II and Almanzor.
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| The Grand Mosque of Cordoba, picture by tuttocordoba.com |
An excellent sample of Omeya architecture, the
Great Mosque is a harmonious combination of various different styles: the
initial works of Abd-ar-Rahman I display hispano-visigothic influences, taking
advantage of materials and columns gathered from other constructions. The
building occupies 24,000m2 and is divided in two areas: the arcade sahn, where the alminar is constructed by Abd
al-Rahman III, and the haram.
The interior space produces a strong chromatic effect due the amount of
columns and red and white arches. Since
1523 the Great Mosque has also housed a Christian cathedral, constructed in the
wake of the Re-conquest along with other side chapels.
A tour guide to La Mezquita, by Great Big Story
Madinet Al-Zahra
Palatal city of
Abd-al-Rahman III the most prosperous caliph in the West during only
comparable with Baghdad and Byzantium in his times. It was built on stepped
terraces to take advantage of the slope of the mountain and each terrace was
separated from the others using walls that divided the city into three parts.
In the heights were the palaces, in the middle part gardens and a
landscape of fruit and vegetable plots, finally in the lower part was the main
mosque and the houses. There are still remains of foundations, paintings and
columns in Composite and Corinthian style.
Flower Street
This small but well-known
street is the most photographed street in Cordoba. A typical narrow, cobbled
alley between whitewashed houses, its balconies and walls are decked out with
flowers in terracotta pots, in characteristically vivid colors, such as brilliant
pink, purple and red geraniums.
The alley is located close to the north-east corner of the Mezquita, off
called Victor Bosco, so that when you stand in the tiny square at its northern
end, you get a perfectly framed view of the Mezquita’s tower framed by
flower-covered white walls.
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| Colorful Flower Street of Cordoba, by Matt Long |
Andalusi House
A nice place to explore, a blend of Jewish and Muslim
tradition, its wall transport us to the times of the Caliphate. Dated
on XII century the building remains a very special charm.
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| Cordoba Casa Andalusi, by WorldWanderista |
The Muslim rule over Cordoba
developed stunning architectural styles based on pre-existing regional traditions.
They formulated an extraordinary combination of the familiar and the
innovative, a formal stylistic heritage that marked the great Islamic civilization
over Europe in Spain.
Used Sources
Rothe, Jason. Moorish Islamic Spain. Iberia, Cordoba, 20 Jan. 2016, love2fly.iberia.com/2016/01/moorish-islamic-spain/.
Ghazi, Samran. YouTube, Forgotten History, 14 Apr. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmtp-yM8L4A/.
Mosque of Cordoba. tuttocordoba, Cordoba, https://www.tuttocordoba.com/en/mosque-of-cordoba/.
YouTube, Great Big Story, 02 Nov. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZVIC1Pua1o/.
YouTube, Expoza Travel, 16 Jan. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA2AycIYCLc/.
Joelle, F. Casa Andalusi in Cordoba. Worldwanderista, Cordoba, 10 Jan. 2017, https://www.worldwanderista.com/casa-andalusi-cordoba/
YouTube, Great Big Story, 02 Nov. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZVIC1Pua1o/.
YouTube, Expoza Travel, 16 Jan. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA2AycIYCLc/.
