Cordoba: The Moors' Past High

A Cultural Confluence In The Sunny South Of Spain Leads To Delightful Discoveries In Architecture And History.

- Charukesi Ramadurai

Spring was in the air. Madrid was ablaze with pink and purple, yellow and orange flowers; the streets were buzzing with sounds and sights of performance art; the museums were practically empty. Leaving all this behind after just a couple of days was tough, but my husband and I were determined to head down south to warmer climes and cultures.

We were on a road trip in the south of Spain last year, hoping to visit regions that still carried strong remnants of its Moorish past. We had narrowed the list to three main cities—Córdoba, Granada and Seville, that beckoned from the map like some kind of golden trail of heritage. These were the superstars of the times when the Moors, a nomadic tribe of Berber descent from North Africa, ruled over the area.

On what unfolded as a memorable trip, our first stop—Córdoba—also turned out to be the most compelling. This is a city situated less than 400 kilometeres from the Spanish capital. At the height of its glory, around the 8th century, Córdoba had over 300 splendid mosques and palaces—enough to rival other glorious cities like Constantinople and Damascus. Not surprising, given that this city, perched on a sharp bend of the Guadalquivir river, served as the capital of the region during both Roman and Moorish eras. In a nod to its rich past, Córdoba has enjoyed UNESCO World Heritage status since 1984.