More on Sevilla and Cordoba

Here are some more photos from Sevilla and Cordoba. The first picture is of a wall in the Royal Palaces of Sevilla that dates back to the 9th century. It was built by the Romans when they ruled the Iberian Penisula. It is still standing today and has been incorporated into the palace. The palace in Sevilla is very interesting because there are bits from each of the various cultures that have ruled there. There are traces of the Visogoths, Romans, Arabs, and later the Spanish Christian rulers. I was impressed not only that this wall was still standing because it denotes amazing architectural and engineering skill, but also that it was never torn down. There is an amazing histoy of incorporating that which is left by the former rulers by the newest rulers. Of course there is much that has also been torn down. For example the site of the current cathedral in Sevilla was once the site of a mesquita (mosque). The mesquita was torn down when Sevilla was reconquered by the Christian rulers and chosen for the site of the cathedral because of the obvious symbolism of building on the same site. However, the Christians, when they built the cathedral, left the minaret standing and incorporated it into the church, where it now serves as a belfry.


The former minaret, now tower of the cathedral in Sevilla is known as the Giralda. It's an impressive 300 feet or so tall. The second picture is of the Giralda. The third photo is of a few of the bells that now occupy the top of the tower. They toll often and are beautiful. Because Sevilla is rather flat the view from the top of the Giralda is very impressive because one can see rather far.



The fourth photo is of the Plaza de Espana in Sevilla. The Plaza de Espana was built for the 1929 fair dedicated to the Hispanoamerican world. It's in the Parque de Maria Luisa, which absolutely beautiful. For Americans the Parque de Maria Luisa is a great place to visit because there is not only grass - a rare thing in Spain - but you can also walk on it - and even rarer thing over here. I sat in the Plaza de Espana around dusk and it was truly gorgeous.


So, photos from Cordoba. The first is of the famous arches from the Cordoba mesquita. Interesting fact about the Cordoba mesquita...According to our guide the mesquita in Cordoba was the first mesquita ever to have a minaret. I forget all the details of this fact, but I thought it was quite interesting. Then again I find almost anything having to do with religion interesting.


The second photo is of part of the ceiling in the mesquita. I think when I get my first house I am going have a ceiling just like it.


Lastly there is a photo the pipes from the organ that is in the cathedral in Cordoba. The cathedral in Cordoba is right in the center of the mesquita. Rather than tearing it down they just built a cathedral in the center. Normally I love cathedrals, but this one for various reasons is just hideous. This is partly because it is invading into another place of worship, but also because architecturally and artistly it's just ugly. There are no redeeming qualities in this cathedral excepting the amusing faces, with gapping mouths, on the pipes of the organ. Luckily the only photo that even reasonably came out of the cathedral is of said pipes.

Well, I guess that's it for now. As soon as I have my photos from my trip to the Alhambra I'll post those as well with interesting information about them. The Alhambra, here in Granada is my favorite building in the whole wide world.