3rd Millennium car, 1st Mil. building

With the confiment within provinces dropped took Antequera girl for a drive.

Roughly between Campillos and Sierra de las Yeguas lies Cortijo de las Mezquitas. A derelict farm house extension onto a Xth Century Mezquita. It was founded more then 500 years before Queen Isabel sponsored Columbus to try find a route aroúnd the earth to the valuable spice sources.

Those times the mezquita was much like medieval monestaries; a religious centre with earthly functions. The mezquita is situated on a hill overlooking the lagunas de Fuente de Piedra (see third photo). This is a salt lake with a healthy breeding colony of flamingoes. Back thén there was a straight line route from the salt winning past the mezquita to the settlement which became Campillos and yonder.

The straight route is now a dirt road and the nearest tarmac connection is a potholed local road. Needless to say that the building with original Xth C. horse shoe arcs and buttresses is not visited much. The once majestic wooden doors lie fallen in on the courtyard; not trampled in 🤣  Very much worthwhile though and as the flamingo salt lake is within sight it makes for a great trip. 

Although open access, it is very much use your common sense as some parts are at the point of falling in. I did see all the ground floors but did not venture up any stairs. The original plan of the Xth C. mezquita is surprisingly intact. When I wanted to take a photo of an arc, Antequera girl stepped into the alcove. ´Strip naked or get out of the picture please´ and 😲 😲 

Some time later took the first photo. The second one is mind boggling if you take a moment to ponder about my car standing in front of a building that was erected >500 years before Columbus set sail.