Callejon de Arquillos- Arquillos Alley

In keeping with the tone my last blog, which happened to be on one of my favourite little lanes in Córdoba, I´ve decided to disclose yet another fascinating lane, or should I say, alley – Callejon de Arquillos.

To the right of this quintessential little street, Calle Cabezas, lies the charming Calleja de Arquillos.

I must admit this little beauty is well off the beaten track. I had been in Córdoba almost 7 months before I discovered it and, even then, I didn´t stumble across it on my own! One of my friends, having accidently happened upon it on a get fit mission, was kind enough to share this little gem with me; so if you´re reading this, thank you!

When I saw this alley, admittedly, I was overcome by a mixture of feelings. Apart from being blown away by its simplistic beauty and the way in which the morning light seemed to playfully bounce from wall to wall highlighting each little crevice on its journey, I was intrigued by the history that was locked away behind the big iron gates. Iron gates which, not only serve to keep curious people like me from passing through this ancient alley, but also, add to its mystery, character and charm. After this, the only emotion I had left to feel, while it may sound a little odd, was irritation. I found I was annoyed at myself for not having a camera with me, I tend to be a bit on the snap happy side of life, to capture the moment in the glorious morning sunlight!

However, after a brief moment of cursing myself, I got myself together and came home filled with an immense desire to uncover the deep dark secret that is being kept under lock and key. Sadly, it proved to be a difficult quest, the only bit of information I found was about the legend of Arquillos Alley. This legend says that the Caliph, a Muslim religious ruler, executed his seven sons and hung their heads in this alley for everyone to see. While this tale does add an eerie element to the alley, it does nothing to satisfy my need for information!Nonetheless, I´m captivated by this alley and, who knows, perhaps it´s the fact that I know relatively little about it that adds to its charm, for without mystery life would be dull!

Anyway, having walked past this alley several times since then, and honestly falling more and more in love with it each time, I have managed to capture it on my camera. Sadly, my photos fail to capture the fine detail of the walls, the gaiety of the sunlight and the sense of mystery so integral to this Alley. However, I do believe that they do manage to capture some of this alleys beauty, and will allow you to see what its allure is!

Calleja de Arquillos