Additional information
by Charles River (Author)
*Includes pictures
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
"To Córdoba belong all the beauty and ornaments that delight the eye or dazzle the sight. Her long line of Sultans form her crown of glory; her necklace is strung with the pearls which her poets have gathered from the ocean of language; her dress is of the banners of learning, well-knit together by her men of science; and the masters of every art and industry are the hem of her garments..." - Stanley Lane-Poole, "The Moors in Spain"
The Calle Cardenal Herrero in Córdoba is an iconic cobbled street impossible to overlook, for it is home to the Andalusian city's spectacular Mosque-Cathedral. Also known as "La Mezquita," this one-of-a-kind Moorish and Christian place of worship reels in about 1.5 million visitors each year, most of whom find themselves spellbound by its hypnotic architectural features and the riveting history that has transpired and continues to within the beautifully weathered walls of the dual-church. That said, the Mezquita is far more than a mere tourist attraction - in recent years, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba has become the crux of a complicated religious conflict resurrected by impassioned worshipers and patriotic locals who fear not only for the future of its legacy, but the preservation of its true history.
It is easy for those on the outside looking in to make hasty judgments about the ongoing dispute, considering the endless amount of information that is uploaded online by the second. The contentious debates surrounding the Mezquita are often products of outdated prejudices, festering distrust, and whitewashing, all of which make it harder for the Mezquita to remain a non-discriminatory space serviceable to and appreciated by everyone today. Love, as they often say, is best expressed through meaningful actions, as opposed to syrupy words and hollow promises. To pragmatists, it's the smaller things that make the biggest splash, while hopeless romantics may take it upon themselves to go the extra mile. Apart from showering their better halves with trips abroad to bucket-list destinations and mountains of extravagant gifts, the wealthy might organize benefits and galas, and make handsome donations to a cause that deeply resonates with their loved one.
Whereas most would deem the tokens of affection exchanged by celebrity power couples to be sweet, but inordinately excessive, many of those who pine after storybook romances are especially enamored of these grand gestures. However, nobody can deny that they've produced some of the most famous works in the world, including buildings such as the Taj Mahal.
Such stories can certainly send the hearts of the starry-eyed aflutter, and while love is not quantifiable, few love stories can compare to the blissful fairy-tale attached to the Madinat al-Zahra, commonly known today as the Medina Azahara. This tale involved a king named Abd ar-Rahman who was so besotted with a maiden that he built an entire palace-city for her from scratch. Naturally, this wasn't just any old city - covering well over a million square meters by the foothills of the Cordoban Sierra Morena Mountains, this was allegedly the largest palace-city ever built in Europe.
The Mezquita and Medina Azahara: The History and Legacy of the Moors' Most Famous Landmarks in Córdoba, Spain offers a virtual tour of this priceless place of worship, and how it has been at the center of religious debates for hundreds of years. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Mezquita and Medina Azahara like never before.
