Córdoba Mosque, or more formally, the Grand Mosque of Córdoba, is a stunning place. The Mezquita Catedral in Córdoba is one of the two great symbols of Spain’s Moorish past, equaled in splendour only by the Alhambra, in Granada.
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Mezquita Catedral
When the Moors were defeated from the thirteenth century, the mosque had a Catholic cathedral built in its prayer hall, however it wasn’t ruined. Here “‘Cultural Trip” will get acquainted with his impressive history. The site currently occupied by Córdoba’s great Mosque Cathedral, or Mezquita Catedral in Spanish, has been swapped back and forth between Christians and Muslims for centuries. Iberia’s Christian Visigoths built the San Vicente church before the Moors came, remains of which may be seen under the mosque and dates from the sixth century.
Inside the Great Mosque in Córdoba
Given its venerable history, it is no surprise that Spain boasts 15 Unesco World Heritage Cities. Yes, entire cities that are World Heritage Sites. These include Cordoba with its Great Mosque, Merida with its amazing Roman theatre, Santiago de Compostela where the apostle St James is buried, Toledo with its stunning Alcazar fortress, Tarragona with its archaeological sites and Salamanca with its cathedrals and ancient cloisters. In many of these cities, hot-air balloon rides are available, not to be missed For a complete experience, don’t forget to dip into the local cuisine and participate in the fiestas.
When the Moors began their invasion of Spain in 711CE, Córdoba was among the first cities that they conquered, and according to some accounts they divide the San Vicente church in half, designating it as a place of worship for both Christians and Muslims. By 784CE, Córdoba Muslim population had grown, and the original mosque was no longer large enough. The Umayyad prince Abd al Rahman I’d came here from Syria after his family was killed in a political power struggle. After defeating the governor of al Andalus, he took control of the region and arranged the building to be torn down to make way for a brand new, much larger Mezquita.
Córdoba Mosque: An Andalucían Wonder
Once recognized in Córdoba, he created an entire industry dedicated to its construction, using thousands of artisans and builders to work on the job. Over the subsequent two hundreds of years, the original structure underwent significant additions and extensions. The most significant of those was the southward expansion of the youth hall. This work, completed under Abd al Rahman II, adhered to the bold double arch design of the original. The addition of the ornate minaret was completed by his heir, Abd al Rahman III, also another extension to the prayer hall and additions to the mihrab by al Hakam II.
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When the building was eventually completed in 987CE, over 200 years because the first stone was laid, it was the second most important mosque in the world after Mecca. The Mezquita’s most noteworthy feature is its vast prayer hall, the ceiling of which can be supported by 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry, excavated from the Ancient Rome temple that once stood on the site. Resting on the columns is double beams, and the recognisable white and red striped design was modelled on those of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
The mosque-cathedral of #Cordoba is one of the most impressive examples of Muslim architecture in the world https://t.co/G2v9nakfkE @CabildoCordoba @MezquitaCordoba @CordobaESP @MencantaCordoba @GrupoCPHE @andalocio @viveandalucia @UNESCO @Spain_inUK @SpainInUSA @spainInCanada pic.twitter.com/aYeHjQWbVH
— España Guide (@espana_guide) April 2, 2021
When King Ferdinand III conquered the Moors in Córdoba in 1236 CE, the mosque was converted into a place of Catholic worship, with different additions made over the hundreds of years, such as those by Alfonso X after from the thirteenth century and Enrique II from the 14th century.
On the other hand, the most radical suggestion for reform came from the early sixteenth century, when the cathedral’s bishops suggested demolishing the middle ages mosque and building a brand new cathedral in its own place.
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