Introduction
Cordoba is a city that prides itself on sophistication and is a popular location for bullfighting. It had high importance in the 11th century when it was considered one of the most influential capitals in all of Europe and produced a harmony of religions living together.
One of the most influential sights whilst in Cordoba is the Mezquita, which translating to Mosque. It has a remarkable array of gold mosaics and colourful pillars adding to its appeal. It now contains a Roman Catholic Cathedral, having been converted following the Spanish Reconquista.
Another charming sight to stumble across is the Museo Arquelogico (Archaeological Museum) which, as you can imagine, demonstrates the history of Cordoba, especially prior to the Islamic influence. For example there are a lot of Roman period pieces, with one of the main attractions being the stone lion in the Iberian section. It is lucky enough to have been built on Roman ruins of a villa so its location was meant to be.
If you fancy a bit of rest during your trip then a great little stop off point is the Plaza del Potro; mentioned by Don Quijote, it was the place to be for traders during the 17th century. The Conjunto Arquelogico Madinat al Zahra is the collection of ruins around 5kms outside of Cordoba. It was originally created in the 10th century by Abd Ar Rahman, who demonstrated his wealth by constructing a palace city outside of Cordoba that was one of the biggest in Europe. So if you fancy getting involved with a piece of history don't hesitate to head down and start filling up the camera!
