Córdoba: Mezquita/Cathedral

The history of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba (also known as the Mezquita and the Great Mosque of Córdoba) is amazing. If you’d like to learn about it in detail, Wikipedia is a good starting point (click here). Otherwise, I’ve got ‘some’ photos to share and just a few bits of information.

It is thought that the Mezquita was built on the site of an ancient Roman temple. The Visigoths invaded Córdoba and converted the temple to a church in 572. After the Islamic conquest of the Visigoths around 661, the mosque was begun and Christians were allowed to practice in their churches within the walls of the mosque. The mosque continued to expand (more than doubling in size) until the year 987. Finally, under Christian rule, Muslim worship was no longer allowed and it became the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady. That’s an incredibly dumbed down version of history. But, it’s meant to tell you that the mosque is huge and, within its walls are multiple Christian chapels and an entire cathedral. (Click the images to see how the mosque and cathedral grew over the centuries.)

VIEW OF THE MINARET FROM INSIDE THE COURT OF ORANGES.

A GLASS FLOOR TO EXPOSE ANCIENT MOSAICS BELOW.

“THE MIHRAB,” WHICH IDENTIFIES THE WALL THAT FACES MECCA.

THE RIVER AND THE PUERTA DEL PUENTE (GATE OF THE BRIDGE), BUILT 1572. (AS VIEWED FROM THE WINDOW OUTSIDE THE TOILETS — NEXT TO THE COMMUNAL SINKS.)