Nowhere else in the world do the cultures of Christianity, Islam and Judaism stand side-by-side the way they do in Cordoba, the former capital of Moorish Spain.


Ruler Abd ar-Rahman II began the construction of Cordoba's Great Mosque, La Mezquita, as an alternative to Mecca. With an original script of the Koran and a bone from the arm of Muhammad, La Mezquita was one of the most sanctified spots in the world.


It's certainly one of the most beautiful, with the multiple columns and Byzantine prayer niche. What makes it unique, however, is the Christian cathedral built inside by Catholic King Ferdinand III, making the Mosque a true synthesis of art, religion and history. Visitors enter through the Patio de los Naranjos, a classic Islamic court which preserves both its orange trees and the fountains for ritual purification before prayer.


North of the Mezquita lies the Juderia, Cordoba's old Jewish quarter, an important world center of Jewish culture in the Spanish Middle Ages. The quarter remains unchanged, just as Seneca and Maimonides saw it, full of narrow streets with white limestone painted houses and charming overhanging balconies overhanging quaint small shops. The best sight is the old Synagogue, built in 1492 and still standing on Judios (Jews) Street. Its walls show the laborious plaster work characteristic of Mudejar art.


Yet another great reason to visit Cordoba is the chance to visit any of the numerous annual festivals, dedicated to various religious figures. Perhaps the most famous is Holy Week, held during Easter. It consists of 32 separate processions and about 60 platform displays with the figures of saints under which thousands of penitents worship. The Crosses of May are also popular, with crosses made of flowers bedecking the public squares and inner courts of local houses.


The month ends with the Fair of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, where the streets are lined with girls dressed in gypsy or typical Cordoba costumes and men on horseback, enjoying the flowing white wine and dancing.