The up coming trip and sites

Ola!
It has been a while since I have written.
This next week we are going on our first five day trip. We leave tmw at 7:45 to board the bus, then are off to Andalucia, which is the territory that covers the southern tip of Spain. While we are there, we are going to visit some prime cities, including, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, and Magala. These were all cities that were inhabited by the Moors for hundreds of years.

Granada was the last city to be brought under Castilian rule, under the riegn of Ferdinand and Isabel in 1492. It has said to have been inhabited since "the dawn of history." (yes, wikipedia baby!) How many cities in America can say that? The first treaty drafted between Granada and the new controlling Castialan rule allowed the Muslims to stay practicing with their faith unmolested. With five years, however, the Inquisition was growing, and surrounding bishops were not happy with the slow conversion rate. Soon, forced baptisms and conversions saturated the city with Christians and Moriscos (converted Muslims.) Although a lot of the Muslim structures where destroyed after the conquest, what remains is the largest collection of Muslim artifacts in Europe. The fall of Granada signifies the end of the 800 year long presence of Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula. Most excited to see: the Alhambra First moorish citadel and place, Second additions by Carlos V in a renaissance style, third Philip II, Italianized it and added many rooms inside. Before it was referred to as "a pearl set in emeralds" the pictures show the white washed buildings surrounded by the deep forest green of the cushioning trees.

Cordoba: the once capital of Caliphate of Cordoba
Under Moorish rule, it became the center for economic, and social activity. It was at this time, the largest city in Europe and most likely the world.
Most excited to see: the Mezquita was the second largest masque in the world. Inside the Mezquita, Patio de Los Naranjos. I can't wait to smell it.

Seville: Over two thousand years old. Stands at the base of the Guadalquivir river (the only river port in the Iberian Peninsula). (Alamillo bridge, really want to see it) MAny old Roman structures remain such as the: aqueduct (ogeez really excited to see this one!) the Giralda. The bell tower of the Cathedral. One of the first most important symbols in the city. It is topped with a statue, known locally as El Giraldillo, representing Faith. The tower's interior was built with ramps rather than stairs, to allow the Muezzin and others to ride to the top. really big for its time. The Torre do Oro. Just a simple cylindrical tower. It has twelve sides, and the top of the dome is covered in gold. It was used as a prison during the middle ages.

Most excited to see: The Alcazar of Seville,

Mudejar styles: a mescla from :Jewish, Christian, and Muslim.
(The biggest difference between this style and others such as the Gothic, or Romanesque, is that it does not try to create new things, but simple takes other styles and reinvents or changes them)
*Uses cheap material elaborately worked, such as brick, tile, wood, and plaster
*geometric characters
*tile patterns on walls (its amazing with what you can do with jsut a few simple shapes)
*horse show arches, windows
*squares, block towers

*Yes! I did use Wikipedia! and if you find it useful, good!