Córdoba - Andalucía - Spain / España.
Córdoba is situated in the Guadalquivir valley and has always played an important role in the history of Andalucía. The name of the city means "village overlooking the river" and archaeological discoveries suggest that the area has been populated since the Bronze age.
Phoenecians traded salted fish and olive oil here but it was the Roman occupation that established Córdoba as an important settlement in the development of southern Spain. The Romans arrived in "Corduba", as it was then known, in 206 B.C.and it was made an official colony in 169 B.C.
Córdoba was almost completely destroyed by Barbarian tribes from northern europe in the V century. Its recovery was a slow process until 711, when arabs from Northern Africa ousted a Visigothic monarchy and made Córdoba capital of al - Andalus. This saw in a new period of splendour.
Mezquita (Mosque) / Catedral (Cathedral), Avda. de la Constitución, Córdoba.
Possibly one of the most surprising buildings in Córdoba, if not the world, is the Mezquita (Mosque) / Catedral (Cathedral), located in Avda. de la Constitución. It is a combination of Christian and Muslim construction in one building. As soon as you enter you are met by the prayer hall. The combination of red and white stonework in the archways creates an illusion of space, opening in all directions. Unfortunately only 856 of the columns remain of the original 1,013, the remainder having being demolished during Christian reforms.
Enjoy your visit to Córdoba and don't forget to let us know how your trip went!
