"Andalucia" Andalucía by elucas

The town of Casares clustered tightly on its hilltop with spectacular views stretching to the coast. Andalucia is known for its “White Towns” which originally would have been built on hills for defensive purposes. Nowadays the new towns are usually clustered at the foot of the hills. The old town centres are a delight to look at, but must be difficult to live in with so many sharp turns, cobbles and steep slopes, not to mention the use of the car ! In the background there is a wind farm to generate electricity. Less than an hour’s drive, but a world away, is one of Spain’s most famous coasts, the Costa del Sol.

I cannot talk about Andalucia without mention of the region’s great cities which Andrew and I visited a few years ago:

The shimmering gold of the Alhambra palace in Grenada, with its mighty walls, graceful courtyards, fountains, wonderful gardens, and even today, an air of mystery and secrecy. This was the last stronghold of the Moors before they were finally driven from al-Andalus in 1492 by the Christian warriors Ferdinand and Isabella, who are buried in the Cathedral at Grenada.

Unfortunately, many of our pictures of Seville and Cordoba and all of Granada, were pre-digital. So, one winter’s day Andrew and shall just have to scan in some photos !

The two travelogues here are a selection of places we visited in May 2006. I hope they give a glimpse into the great variety of places that make up this fascinating region.

A courtyard in the Alcazar at Seville

Seville, the port of the Spanish Empire in its golden age in the 16th century – is a southern city with its white and ochre buildings, orange trees and jasmine scented courtyards in the old town.

The vast edifice of the cathedral with its "blaze" of gold behind the high altar – gold brought from the empire in South America – is very impressive.

The Alcazar – build in Moorish (Mudejar) style – with its intricate beauty and lovely gardens, is still a Royal Palace today.

Alcazar gardens at Cordoba

Cordoba – the old town is a perfect example of an Arab town with its network of streets – and is very easy to get lost in ! The gardens of the Alcazar (fortress or palace) are peaceful and beautiful.

The great Mezquita (Mosque) is cool and peaceful, despite the throngs of visitors. Usually when the Christians conquered Moorish cities they built a cathedral over the site of the Mosque, but not in Cordoba. The city fell to the Christians in 1236, but it was not until almost 300 years later that a Christian cathedral was installed in part of the Mosque. The beautiful and intricately patterned 10th century prayer niche which forms the heart of the Islamic part of the Mosque remains to this day. Two pictures of the Mosque are to be found in my Colours Album on my Homepage.