Every Picture Tells a Story     April 2019

Mezquita de Córdoba
Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain

Mezquita de Córdoba
 

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is the most important monument of all the Western Islamic world, and one of the most amazing in the world. The evolution of the “Omeya” style in Spain is resumed in the history of the Mosque of Cordoba, as well as other styles such as the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque of the Christian architecture.

It seems as if the place that the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba occupies nowadays was dedicated, from ancient times, to the cult of different divinities. In this same place, and during the Visigoth occupation, another building was constructed, the “San Vicente” Basilic. On top of this basilic and after paying half of the site, the primitive Mosque was constructed. This basilic, of rectangular shape, was shared for a period of time between Moslems and Christians. After the Muslim enlargement, the Basilic became property of Abderraman I, who destroyed it to construct the first “Mosque Alhama” or main Mosque of the city. Nowadays, some of the constructive elements of the Visigoth building are integrated in the first part of Abderraman I.

The Great Mosque has two different areas: the courtyard or “arcade sahn“, where the “alminar” (minaret) is constructed (beneath the Renaissance tower) by Abd al-Rahman III, and the “haram” or praying hall. The interior space consists of a forest of columns and red and white arches giving a strong chromatic effect. The site is divided into 5 different areas, corresponding each one of them to the different expansions that have occurred on it.

Best to visit first thing in the morning when they first open if possible.

 

The Catholic Steeple

Inside the Mosque

Inside the Mosque

Inside the Mosque Inside the Mosque

Inside the Mosque

Inside the Mosque

Inside the Mosque Inside the Mosque

Inside the Mosque Inside the Mosque

This is make of Inca Gold

Supposedly the first gold brought from the New World

Not my style!

Back to the mosques

The simplicity of the Mosque

The Cathedral built within

Inside the Cathedral (inside the Mosque)

Inside the Cathedral (inside the Mosque)

Inside the Cathedral (inside the Mosque) Inside the Cathedral (inside the Mosque)
Inside the Cathedral (inside the Mosque) Inside the Cathedral (inside the Mosque)

Back to the Mosque

And back to the Mosque Gardens

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All Photography by Philip Illingworth