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Exploring Andalusia
Southern spain offers many treasures of spanish culture
August 05, 2006

Cordoba and Granada
The following day we drove to cordoba, one of Spain’s big Moorish cites. It was the capital of Al-Andalus, the Muslim-ruled part of medieval Spain. We went looking for Cordoba’s beautiful mosque, called Mezquita. This 1,200-year-old building was the largest mosque in its day.

Inside, we admired the unique arches that were a striped pattern of red brick and white stone. At the center of the mosque stands a huge, richly decorated church. The darkness inside the mosque and church made us feel like we were in a basement!

Next we drove on to Granada, home of the great Moorish fortress Alhambra. The royal palace inside the fortress had incredibly beautiful rooms and courtyards. We especially liked the Court of the Lions. It featured a fountain with 12 lion statues. During Moorish times, the fountain was a clock. A different lion spouted water each hour. Sadly, it no longer works.

After seeing Granada, we said goodbye to andalusia. It had definitely treated us to treasures of Spanish culture. We just wish we could have stayed longer!

Word Bank
Arch (n) 拱门
The tourists walked under the rounded arches of the old church.

Striped(adj) 条纹状的
Gary’s red and white striped shirt makes him look like a candy cane.

Fortress(n) 堡垒；要塞
The fortress protected the city from its enemies.

Spout(v) 喷出
The whale spouted water high into the air.

More information
Moorish(adj)摩尔的；摩尔人的
Moorish people controlled southern Spain until 1492.

Mosque(n )清真寺
Muslims worship in a mosque.