When you visit Andalucia, and particularly the city of Cordoba, it is important not to miss an opportunity to visit the ancient city mosque (or mezquita). This is one of Europe’s most impressive buildings. Its continuing existence is all the more amazing when you consider that comparatively little of Andalucia’s Moorish past survived the Christian reconquest. This fact is underlined when you consider that during the Moorish period Cordoba had around 3,000 mosques.

As you enter the scale of the building becomes apparent with row after row of parallel aisles which open up to the view as you walk through the building. This simple, but awe inspiring, form of architecture made it possible to extent the building easily throughout its long existence.

Equally you are struck by the simplicity of the building. As their religion dictated the Muslims were unable to incorporate any image of the human form into the decoration. This resulted in two types of decoration - plant and geometric designs plus the use of script in the form of verses of the Koran.

The simplicity is further underlined when you come upon the cathedral in the middle of the building. Commenced in the 16th century, here you witness in its full splendour the opulence of Spanish catholicism. While not out of place in another setting the cathedral does not sit well beside the mosque - a view shared by Emperor Carlos V who said at the time of its construction:

You have destroyed something unique, to build something commonplace.

When your visit is complete there can be few better experiences than to sit in the beautiful Patio de los Naranjos and contemplate your short insight into a culture which ended for Cordoba 750 years ago.

Casa de Suenos Guesthouse, near Priego de Cordoba, is an ideal location for visiting both Cordoba and Granada, being just 1 hour from both cities.