Ellen L.
Yelp
this one of two historical gems that we absolutely had to see during our short visit to cordoba. founded in 785, this is known as the "great mosque of cordoba" and is one of the most distinguished structures in moorish architecture.
since it was literally across the street from our hotel, it was the very first site that we visited after dropping off our luggage. entering the main gates is free, since you are only entering the courtyard, the exterior of the mosque. we walked around the courtyard and admired the delicate architecture, arches, pillars, beams, and inscriptions along the walls. the courtyard was kept very well with assorted flowering plants and trees, perfect for taking in some shade underneath the hot sun (and boy was it hot when we visited, about 35C in september!) although we planned to go inside, we also wanted to see some other tourist sites and historic landmarks which were a bit farther away, and since this was so close to our hotel, we decided to see the interior a bit later.
we ended up going on a bus tour and seeing other sites, and unfortunately, by the time we made it back to the mezquita, it was closed for the day. :( since we were leaving early the next morning, we did not have the pleasure of seeing the interior, but we vow to return to cordoba so that we can have a complete visit of the great mosque. admission is €8 for adults, €4 for children ages 10-14, and free for children under 10.