Monday, July 11, 2016

Spain 9 -- Cordoba

Guide: Maria Jose
Monday, July 11
Cordoba

Some photos at
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B3icryBtLHRPN3p4WTlna2YwQzQ

2000 years ago, the Romans were here. There are significant remains, buy they are far down. The Jews came with the Romans

In the middle ages, Cordoba was capital of Islamic Al-Andalus, beginning 711.

Center of Andalusia (Andalucia).

When European cities were 15-20,000, there were a half million here. In 10th century, there was real coexistence and cooperation between Jews, Muslims and Christians.  But it didn't last much more than 100 years. 20,000(?) Jews lived here in the good times.

1236:  reconquest by Christians.

Muslims developed the water system from their earliest days, though Romans had also built aqueducts.

Unemployment rate almost 30% here.

The Medina was the central part of the city.

Roman bridge was only bridge across the city's river from 1st century until modern times.

Photos:
Jail and Place of the Inquisition
Former Grand Mosque

When Christians reconquered here, many Muslims fled to Granada. Christians reconsecrated onto Holy Mary Cathedral.

Juderia--Jewish Quarter
Those who stayed purchased Christian family history to secure themselves from the Inquisition .
Narrow streets, cul de sacs, not much order. For security.

Rambam... Maimonides....
Doctor scholar philosopher polyglot. He had a good life here until age 12, leaving because of new regime. Father was a judge. Physician to Saladin.

Sinagogo ... Synagogue
This was private for its family. No windows, so it could be secret.
Built 14th century in Moorish (local) style. (Influence, fashion, not security.)
Used as a women's hospital in 16th and 17th centuries.

Casa Sefarad
Our guide sang  Psalm 121 Esa Einai

Inquisition Abolished 1833
To hang someone in a sambonito (Sp. expression): to give someone a kind of guilt they cannot escape.

Back to the mosque. Enlarged 3 times. When it was a mosque, it was much more open. 19 open arch entrances  Built with new and reused materials. The mosque was built to move water (like aqueducts).

Christians lit candles in their dark cathedral, creating fires and fire hazards. So what didn't burn from the wooden roof, they removed.

10th century was golden age in Cordoba. Jews, Christians, Muslim together.
Took almost 350 years to build the central cathedral.

Andalucia is Spain's largest region, and the source of a great deal of what the world considers to be Spanish culture. And they speak faster than anywhere else.

Granada was the last city to form under Muslim rule and was strongest and longest. (We have ARRIVED in Granada. More about that in a subsequent post.)

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