Page 78 - A Call for a Turkish-Islamic Union

A CALL FOR A TURKISH-ISLAMIC UNION

In the same era, such great European cities as Paris

and London were filthy, dark, and neglected. As a re-
sult, European Christians visiting Cordoba were
amazed and dazzled by the city's splendor, culture,
and art.
In Islam: Empire of Faith, Historian Sheila Blair of
Boston College describes Cordoba's splendor with the
following words:
The city of Cordoba in the 9th and 10th centuries
was one of the biggest and most exciting in Europe.
We have descriptions by people coming and seeing
all of these flowers everywhere this open streets, this
wonderful light coming down. Northern cities were
dark. Cordoba had running water. People lived in
big houses. In contrast, in Paris, people lived in
shacks by the side of the river. 4

One of the few remaining examples of Cordoba's
grandeur is the Catholic cathedral located in the city
center. Originally it was a mosque of an esthetic style

The Cordoba
Mosque has an
impressive
beauty.

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