Submitted by Jasmine Edwards on the 2017 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
Located in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, Córdoba is a sunny Roman city and major Islamic center. For class, we were required to visit two places: La Mezquita and the Jewish Quarter. The Cathedral is a Catholic masterpiece built around an Islamic masterpiece, the mosque, or La Mezquita. Like most mosques in Spain, this one was converted after La Reconquista, but preserved for its beauty and symbolism (it is trapped within a Catholic stronghold, and it has been conquered with no hopes of overpowering its new surrounding shell). You’ll notice in the following picture that the characteristic Catholic Church ceilings and designs reign over the dusty red and cream keyhole archways of the Muslim era.
A stunning clash of religion and region pieced together within a single room, this particular area was massive. Although, I was awed and reverent, I was also somewhat sad. Behind all that wonder, there was melancholy and a sense of loss. I hated to think how the Muslims were treated and how their religion was so blatantly disrespected. This gorgeous cathedral came at a cost.
After we left, we walked right to the collection of white homes that make up the Jewish Quarter, a historically Jewish center of Córdoba. The streets are cobbled and narrow. Beautiful, simple and clean, the Quarter was just as incredible to be inside as the Mosque, but in a different way. It felt more relaxed, like the modern transition of Spain. The Cathedral felt slightly stifled. It was a brief yet magical visit. Although I prefer Granada to Córdoba, I am happy that I traveled to the latter this past weekend.