Here we are nearly a year late but in prepping for a new post, I discovered I had not finished this one. I’m not going to make any edits so here ya go!

We found our way to the Cordoba Central Hotel which was in the middle of town and easy to find. We had a walking tour scheduled for evening so wandered a bit without purpose before exploring the beautiful mosque. Which… is so photogenic!

Here’s a brief history of Cordoba, as written by Ai:

Córdoba, Spain has a rich history that includes Roman occupation, Visigoth rule, and the Muslim conquest: 

• Roman occupation– The Romans captured Córdoba in 206 BC and made it the capital of Hispania Citerior.
• Visigoth rule – After the Roman Empire fell, the Visigoths took over Córdoba in the 6th century.
• Muslim conquest – The Moors conquered Córdoba in the 8th century, and it became the capital of the Muslim emirate of al-Andalus.
• Umayyad dynasty – Abd-al-Rahman, the last Umayyad of Damascus, settled in Córdoba in 756 and proclaimed himself ruler. Under Umayyad rule, Córdoba became a center of learning and education.
• Caliphate of Córdoba – In 929, Abderraman III established Córdoba as the headquarters of the independent Caliphate. The city became one of the most advanced cities in the world, with over 300 mosques, palaces, and administrative buildings.
• Christian rule – In 1236, King Ferdinand III took Córdoba and converted the Grand Mosque into a cathedral. The city became a Christian city with palaces, churches, and a fortress.
• Decline – Córdoba’s political significance declined under Christian rule, but it remained important for commerce due to the copper mines nearby.

Córdoba’s most famous landmark is the Mezquita de Córdoba, which was built as a mosque in the 700s and converted into a Roman Catholic cathedral in 1238.  

And there you have it. An early history of takeover after takeover. It is a beautiful city.

Meals: pizza and salad early dinner

Tour time. I had booked an evening tour and it was even pushed back an hour to allow the sun to go down. It turns out we were the only guests but our guide, Susanna, said that was ok. How lucky we were!