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Multicultural city, the historic center of Córdoba.

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Córdoba lies in Andalucía, in southern Spain.

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It is a city rich in history and dates back to Roman times.

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There's a Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir River.

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For 2,000 years, people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds have set foot on it.

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After the end of the Roman Empire, Córdoba was ruled by the Christians in the 6th century A.D.

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By the 8th century, Islamic power from North Africa began to gain force.

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Eventually, the city became its capital.

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It was during Islamic rule that Córdoba reached the height of its beauty and was hailed as the jewel of the West.

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Labyrinth-like alleys here in the old part of the city reveal typical Islamic features.

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These patios are unique to Islamic architecture.

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They're decorated with flowers and plants.

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Water fountains and wells are another typical feature of a patio.

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Water and greenery were always sought after by Muslims who lived in the arid stretches of the desert.

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Mezquita, the largest Islamic mosque in Europe.

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A chamber dedicated to worship with its forest of pillars.

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Massive double arches support the 850 columns.

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The shape of the arches are said to have been created based on Roman building techniques.

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The pillars were built in a variety of architectural styles.

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Deep inside the mezquita lies the mihrab.

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Muslims prayed here in the direction of Mecca.

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The octagonal shaped interior walls are decorated with exquisite relief of flowering grass motifs.

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Beyond the forest of pillars a totally different view comes into sight.

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A Christian cathedral.

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In the 13th century Cordoba was once again under Christian rule.

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There was a proposal to transform Mezquita into a Catholic cathedral.

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But the people of Cordoba chose to preserve the beauty of Mezquita.

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A mosque and a cathedral came to coexist.

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Cordoba, a city offering an exotic fusion of cultures and religions to the world.