Cordoba was once the capital of Spain, or al-Andalus as the Arabs called it. It was an important sanctuary of Islam in the West. The Arabs and, later, the Moors, introduced important advances to Spain by way of agriculture, architecture, culture and education and personal hygiene. Our guide Valerie said it was likely the Visigoths before them bathed twice in their lives: at birth and before marriage!
We went on a guided tour of the old city, starting at the Jewish quarter to the Cathedral of Cordoba.
The Cathedral site was built by the Visigoths but destroyed and built over by the Muslim invaders. Despite that emphatic expression of their dominance, they presided over a very tolerant society which allowed Jews and Christians to live freely. When Ferdinand II kicked them out in 1236, he and his minions weren't anywhere near as reasonable.
The Mosque was started in 785 and extended over the next 400 years. It became the largest mosque in the known world, overtaking that in Damascus though it was largely modelled on it. When the Christians reconquered the city, the converted the mosque to a cathedral and built many chapels at the walls and the main Chapel and choir in the centre. The architecture is amazing and the decorations are beautiful. It must be said that they're much more tasteful than the Catholic Chapels built over parts of them. Given the strength of their "faith", it is remarkable that 80% of the mosque survives in its original form.
...Alcázares, an enormous palace built by the Arabs and taken over by the Christians. But as with the Corbdoba Cathedral, an enormous amount of it has been preserved....