Córdoba, Spain

July 2024 [To all the posts in Spain]

Places in Córdoba Photo Album

Why Visit Córdoba, Spain

If you're already visiting Andalusia, it seems that a visit to Córdoba is essential—not only because of its famous sites but because of its spirit. Well, The wind here in summer is actually the Levante (which is very hot) and reminds us of the temperatures in our southern cities during the summer.

So, not that kind of spirit, but the spirit of the past, the holy spirit, the spirit of history.

In the past, it was indeed the capital of Al-Andalus and the largest city in Europe (some say in the world), and although it lost its prominence to Seville, the signs are still here, and the monuments that prove it still stand proudly.

It's worth visiting because it reveals as much as it conceals. That's how it is, a bit mysterious, a bit reserved, different from its sisters, Seville and Granada. Maybe quieter, maybe more sleepy — it's hard to pinpoint.

We visited in the summer when it was almost scorching hot, and many of the residents fled to cooler places like Málaga by the coast, leaving the city almost deserted, like many cities around the world that are becoming nearly uninhabitable during summer due to global warming.

In spring and summer, festivals are held there. During our stay, the Guitar Festival took place.

Córdoba offers an interesting blend of an ancient city and a modern one, with a nearly complete separation between the two. There's a physical division in the form of a wall surrounding the old city, and a visual one: the old city looks like a "white village" in Andalusia, with narrow streets, stone-paved paths, inner courtyards, and plenty of greenery in pots on the walls, while the modern city resembles a European city with wide plazas, boulevards, and much taller buildings.

Córdoba is also known for its unique leatherwork and silversmithing, and you can see and buy these crafts in the old city.

For more posts

Madrid

Seville

Granada

Five days in the Sierra Nevada

Caminito del Rey and the White Villages

The Jewish Quarter in Córdoba (La Judería)

Another reason to visit is the Jewish history, represented by the Jewish Quarter, the famous statue of Maimonides (Maimonides was born here), and the synagogue building that has meanwhile become a mini-museum. The statue of Maimonides, also known as Rambam, is located in Tiberias Square here. Isn't that enough?

So here it is, the statue of Rambam (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon). Truth be told, he's quite a celebrity where I'm from. Groups of tourists, not necessarily Jewish, come to see him, and it's clear that he's been touched quite a lot, as you can see in the picture—especially the beard, the palms of his hands, and the book in his hand.

The book isn't any specific one but symbolizes Rambam's thought in the fields of philosophy, law, and medicine. For that matter, it could be "The Guide for the Perplexed".

The Mezquita: Mosque or Church?

It probably depends on who you ask and when. Like all the mosques and palaces built during the rule of the Muslim conquerors in Spain, starting from the early 8th century until the end of the Reconquista in 1492, the Mezquita is built on the foundations of an ancient Roman structure, over which a church was built, then a mosque, and then again a cathedral—so who knows?

It reminds me of the arguments in kindergarten where we debated whose dad was stronger and could beat up all the other dads, so here, the last one standing wins

In 2010, a group of Muslims tried to hold a prayer at the site, which led to a violent clash with the security guards, who were injured. The perpetrators were arrested. The church does not allow Muslims to pray in the Mezquita.

In any case, whether it's a mosque or a church, the structure is very impressive and large.

The rows of columns and arches, built from two types of colored stone, are very striking. When touring the halls of the Mezquita, you really feel this religious duality, and there is no clear sense of it being one or the other, like in a typical mosque or church.

The Mezquita official web site here

When we entered the city, it was impossible not to notice the famous Roman bridge of Córdoba over the Guadalquivir River (the same river that flows to Seville). At the end of the bridge stands the fortified tower (Torre de la Calahorra). When we arrived, it was closed, but you can enter the museum inside and go up to the observation deck for a view of the city.

Ducks come to this spot, and where there are ducks, there are also people feeding them (rest assured, the cats here also enjoy good treatment and unlimited food). There are also pigeons that find a shady spot under the bridge, clinging to the ledges of the bridge’s columns.

Here, in the nighttime photo (in the summer, the lamps light up at 10 p.m.), you can see the view of the cathedral on the other side of the bridge.

Here you can see the fortified tower at the south east end of the Roman bridge.

The bridge was quite empty, as was the promenade that stretches along the northern side of the river. Even the old city itself was not crowded, to say the least. At first, we didn't understand why, but when another heatwave of nearly 40 degrees hit, we realized that both locals and tourists tend to avoid coming during this scorching season.

By the way, Córdoba is considered the hottest city in Spain (in close competition with Seville).

This accordion player agreed to let me take his picture, and I can say he's really working hard, spending many hours a day on the Roman bridge, trying to earn some "small change" from the tourists who come here.

The alleys in the old city of Córdoba are very narrow, as you can see in these pictures. It feels like a maze...

Here is a rather deserted street in a nighttime photo. Sometimes the old city of Córdoba feels like an abandoned village (probably only in the summer).

This square looks exactly like plaza mayor in Madrid right?

We happened to meet Miriam , who competed in "A Star Is Born" in 2006. She heard us speaking Hebrew, approached us, and we talked. She performs world music in Europe and lives here in Córdoba for part of the year. For the rest of the year, she returns to her family in I'billin in the Galilee. She recommended the Guitar Festival and some places to eat.

On the way to the Calleja de Las Flores—another small alley decorated with hanging flower pots.

Córdoba Fortress (Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos)

At first, I thought it was a palace from the Muslim period, similar to the palace in Seville, but it turns out that's not the case. It's a fortress completed in 1328 that served the Spanish kings.

Although an earlier part of it was built during Roman times and was also used by Muslim rulers, what we see today was built by Christians. The fortress gardens were created in the Moorish style and resemble the gardens in Seville and Granada, with flowing water, fountains, and pools.

The fortress also serves as a museum, and it has a beautiful hall displaying impressive mosaics from the Roman period in Córdoba. Here, take a look:

Places to grab a small bite and coffee in Córdoba

For lovers of Pastel de Nata (Portuguese custard tart), there's an amazing stand in Córdoba called Arte-Nata on Fernandez Ruano 21.
A cool bar called Bar Baron in Plaza de Abades, 4 sometimes hosts live performances.
A small café with excellent coffee (there’s barely any seating) on Céspedes, 2.
A very tasty restaurant called Casa Mazal at Tomás Conde, 3.
Another delicious restaurant called Patio Romano, serving traditional local dishes and more, located at Deanes 11. (In the photo above—a traditional cold tomato soup).
The city also has an indoor food market and garden, Mercado Victoria (Address: P.º de la Victoria).
Cheap and excellent coffee and breakfast at Rojo Jamón on Morería, 2 (outside the old city).

Additional Places in Córdoba, Spain Worth Visiting

A shop featuring works by local artists on Calle Mariquez called Artesanía Hecha en Andalucía.
Palacio de Viana at Plaza de Don Gome, 2.
Museo Taurino de Córdoba at Plaza de Maimónides, 3.
For those arriving in May—Festival de los Patios.