The great Mosque of Cordoba, the 10th Century Mezquita, is quite something to see. It was formerly the principal mosque of Western Islam and is the city’s outstanding monument, built at a time when Cordoba was at its height as one of the largest and most prosperous cities of Europe.
Mezquita, Cordoba
View of Patio de Los Naranjos from the exterior wall
You approach it via the Patio de los Naranjos.
One of the gates into the Patio
Patio de Los Naranjos
When you first catch sight of the prayer hall in the interior of the Mezquita, it is a stunning assault on the senses! You are struck by this seemingly endless forest of pillars and arches. Because there were so many people about, I mostly looked upward. Had I been allowed to use a tripod, I could have perhaps tried a 60 second exposure to remove them, but as it was I could only manage 1/3 sec handheld.
Everywhere you look there fabulous views of the interplay between the different elements of the interior architecture:
The distinctive look of the arches was created by alternating brick and stone which produced a red striped pattern. Sunlight bathes the pillars and arches creating some great lighting effects.
The detail in the interior is stunning
One day, I must get back at a time when there are fewer people about!
WordsVisual 
Mesmerizing! I think it adds to the photos with all the people moving, shown in a blur towards the constant pillars and vaults. Love it, Sue. And…I would like to go too!
Thanks, Ann-Christine’s! Glad you like the image with the motion blur, the best of a few I took – I thought it gives the viewer the impression of how busy it was there! And, as you want to go, perhaps we should think about that for a short trip one day??
Hehe…well, short and short…but of course – you live just nearby t least…!
Nearby? Over 3.5 hours by plane!!
Hehe ;-D
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That is an impressive sight indeed, Sue. One place I must try to see before I get too old.
(Always surprising how much people move, in just that 1/3 of a second!)
Best wishes, Pete.
You should try and get there, Pete!
Fantastic, so beautiful!
Thanks, Lena – glad you like these!
Bravo j’en reviens tu pourras bientôt voir les miennes!!!
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Breathtaking, really !
Thanks for this beautiful share!
Glad you like it, Anna!
This is a brilliant post, Sue
What a fascinating place, and you have captured it wonderfully. I like your blurred people shot – great timing I think.
I had no idea that Cordoba had so much to offer.
Thanks, Debs, it’s a wonderful place…and I’ve only covered the Mezquita here
That would be hard to find – time when less people are around 😉 A grand walk!
Glad you enjoyed this, Paula!
Gorgeous shots of the great Mosque, Sue! That place is something else and you captured it beautifully. I got sick with the flu during our trip to Andalusia and the symptoms first hit me while we were visiting the great mosque so I couldn’t fully enjoy the visit. Must go back…
Yes, you must go back, Angela!
Something else! I visited the mosque in a Paris when I lived there in the early 70’s. Also striking.
This place is indeed something else!
THis makes me long for lots from you every time. These are spectacular photos of what is obviously a stunning place. All those vistas of arches, and the light (especially the light – we’re in the middle of never-ending rain) and the colours and the patterning, especially in the last one. This post is a magnificent treat.
Many thanks, Meg, for your fulsome praise!! The reason I don’t create longer posts very often is because they take me so much time to create……..
They do indeed and I appreciate this one proportionally.
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And hallelujah! It’s part 1!
Part 1 of Córdoba, that’s the Mezquita done!
Stunning photos, Sue. Thanks for posting these beautiful images. I can see a “sensory overload” experience here. I actually like the blurred traces of people in the photos. I see a contrast of “present activity” inside a ancient setting. That magnificent stone and brick structure isn’t going anywhere.
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A definite sensory overload, Allan! Glad you liked the post
So majestic! Great photographs, the light is simply stunning.
Many thanks, Inese – a majestic place indeed
absolutely magnificent!
Glad you think so, Hannah!
Beautiful shots. I like the 4th one down with using the arch as a frame.
Thanks, Jeff!
Fabulous! Those arches are as exquisite as I remember them. Caught myself thinking I should get back one day;)
Oh you should! I want to go back, and I’ve only just been!
It is exactly eleven years since we went! I tried to sneak in a visit from Madrid last year, but our schedule too tight.
Well, get planning!
🙂 All long distance travel plans shelved for the moment Sue.
Oh dear, sorry to hear that
Fabulous! I love this post so much! 🙂 There was a couple sitting on that curb in the Plaza de Naranjas when I was there too. Different one I think 🙂
Different curb, or different couple?😀😀 glad you enjoyed the post, Jo
Twosome! They’ll be older now, as well 🙂
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Stunning architecture and some very well chosen viewpoints, Sue.
Thanks, Andy! I had to be creative, because there were e so
Aargh…tried to say ‘so many people milling about’
Now this is one place I really would like to see. And I love your motion blur shot – just fabulous! I ought to have tried that in the Sagrada Familia on Friday!
Well, it was the only thing I could do, because I wasn’t permitted to use a tripod and do a longer exposure, which would have all but removed the people!
Oh, and I forgot to add that I like your longer post – I know they are time consuming, but I really appreciated seeing all the different views and angles here. Thank you 😀
Thanks, Jude! I shall do longer posts from time to time, butt I do find them a bit of a challenge to prepare!
Wow, Sue, your photos of the Mezquita are fabulous. I love that one with the blurred people. I also felt overwhelmed by it, and I remember I got all choked up when I first walked inside and saw it. I also wrote a post about this on my Europe blog: https://catbirdineurope.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/andalucia-cordobas-stunning-mezquita/ It’s long, so don’t bother reading, but I have multitudes of pictures. I consider it one of my top 3 travel experiences, behind hot-air ballooning in Cappadocia, Turkey and walking through Petra in Jordan. 🙂
I’ll link this to my next photography post on September 6. 🙂
Oh, brilliant, thanks!
Oh, brilliant, just been over to your post on the Mezquita….I did read the prose, which filled in some gaps for me, and you have some great images….
Thanks Sue. It’s a stunning place!
Stunning, bedazzling, overwhelming…..
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This is a much better post than mine, done on the hoof from my mobile. But here it is ….. .https://margaret21.com/2019/03/02/ragtag-saturday-a-temple-a-church-a-mosque-then-a-church/
Thanks, Margaret … you did well with your mobile shots!
Not too bad really, I guess.
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