Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/01/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Sorry if I've been a bit quiet lately--I had to take apart and pack up my den, which is being remodeled. That entailed going through nearly a quarter-century worth of stuff, deciding what gets thrown out and what kept. Now, from my temporary perch in a corner of the kitchen, some more Spain pictures. During the time when Muslims ruled southern Spain, the three Abrahamic faiths got along comparatively well, with Jews and Christians occupying a fairly benign "dhimmi" status. As the Dutch and Americans later discovered, freedom of religion has some wonderful fringe benefits--the arts, sciences and commerce flourished. All this depended on the enlightenment and tolerance of the local ruler. The political climate alternated between periods of tolerance and intolerance, depending on who was in charge. The Jewish scholar Maimonides (aka Moses be Maimon, or "the Rambam") was also a celebrated physician and philosopher. He was born in Cordoba in 1135. In 1148, the "management" changed, and a period of "leave, convert or die" ensued. Maimonides traveled widely, and ended up in what is now Cairo as court physician first to the Grand Vizier, and later the Sultan Saladin. Here's a statue of Maimonides: <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/24674914296/in/dateposted-public/> And here are a few views of the old synagogue, built in c. 1315. The ceiling is high, but the sanctuary is not as big as it looks, measuring about 7 x 6.5m (22 x 21 ft.). The pictures were taken under crowded tour group conditions. Note the "Moorish" style decorations coexisting with Hebrew quotations from the Scriptures. The other synagogues in Cordoba were destroyed after all Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492. This one survived as a hospital, a chapel and a nursery school. It has been partially restored and is now a national monument. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/24583353432/in/dateposted-public/> <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/24405591060/in/dateposted-public/> <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/24583351242/in/dateposted-public/> <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/24583350482/in/dateposted-public/> Enjoy! --Peter