File:Rambles in sunny Spain (1889) (14756813936).jpg

Identifier: ramblesinsunnysp00ober (find matches)
Title: Rambles in sunny Spain
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Ober, Frederick A(lbion), 1849- (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, Estes and Lauriat
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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d from the temples of Carthage. As the mosque was built on thesite of a Roman Temple to Janus, doubtless this heathen structurecontributed to the enrichment of its successor. And they may beseen to-day, — these thousand monoliths of jasper, verde-antique, andporphyry, a petrified forest of the true Arabian Nights. There were originally twelve hundred columns, the historians tellus, but the number now is ten hundred and ninety-six, — enough togive one visions of vastness, conceptions of grandeur, and ideas of theinfinite. The mosque itself covers four acres; the roof is about fortyfeet high, with double arches above the columns, some of them likeinterlaced ribbons. There are nineteen longitudinal and thirty-threetransversal aisles, besides several chapels in the laterals, and the greatcoro and capilla mayor in the centre. What a glorious effect wasproduced upon the beholder when all these aisles were open on everyside, and one could look down these vistas of columns, may be faintly
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CHAPEL IN THE MOSQUE AT CORDOVA. DON QUIXOTES COUNTRY, AND CORDOVA. 147 realized to-day by standing at the farther end and glancing towardone of the doorways. Beautiful stained-glass windows give a fineeffect to other vistas, though it is rather tawdry as compared tothe solemn magnificence of the open views. Well may this grandmosque have served as a Mecca for the Spanish Moslems; and itis said to have ranked in sanctity second only to the famous Kaabaat Mecca. We cannot express the delight with which we wandered throughthe mazes of this forest of pillars, looking down the long aisles, peeringinto the gloomy chapels, the half-ruined Capilla de Villariciosa, theancient niaksurah, where were kept the gold and silver vessels of thetemple, and the great Koran, which two men could hardly lift. AGothic inscription, date 1409, may be seen here, also inscriptions inCufic and African. Beyond is the holy of holies, or Ceca, thepoint toward the true Mecca, — East, — where is the exquisitelya

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