It's Córdoba, not Cordoba

For me, the main reason to visit Córdoba is to see the mosque–cathedral of Córdoba or as it is known locally, the Mezquita. You may wonder if there is more. I would say yes, but the Roman bridge, the Jewish Quarter, and the Córdoba Synagogue all pale in comparison to the Mezquita.

The history of the site is pretty interesting. Before the mosque was constructed, a small Visigoth church, the Catholic Basilica of Saint Vincent of Lérins, occupied the site. Some of the remains of the church's foundation and floor can be seen through a plexiglass window in the floor of the mosque.

remains of the Visigoth church

Around 711, the Moors took control of the area and began sharing the church for Muslim worship alongside the Christians. Emir Abd al-Rahman I purchased the Christian half of the church, razed it, and constructed the first mosque in 786 to 788. There were several enlargements up until the reconquest by the Christian monarchs. Abd al-Rahman II made an addition in 833 to 848, and Abd al-Rahman III added a 40 meter tall minaret in 951. At this time, Córdoba surpassed Damascus in importance in the Muslim world.  Al-Hakam II made the next enlargement in 962 to 966, and the final enlargements in 991 were made by Almanzor. The final size was 24,000 square meters or 258,334 square feet. It is really big and very difficult to capture in a photo; maybe, I need a drone.

too big to capture with my camera

With the reconquest of the area by the Christians in 1236, The mosque was consecrated as a Catholic church. The first altar was installed in the former skylight of Al-Hakam II. Further adaptions were made through the late 15th century. In 1607 the main chapel, Villaviciosa Chapel, was completed. The final structure is essentially a mosque with a cathedral built in its center. For me this is what makes this structure unique. The architecture is basically Islamic with Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine touches.

Upon entering the structure, one finds that they are in an orange grove which acts like a receiving or welcoming space prior to entering the area of worship.

the orange grove entrance way 

the former minaret, now a bell tower 

the main entrance to the area of worship

Upon entering the mosque/cathedral, one enters a large hypostyle prayer hall (hypostyle means, filled with columns).

hypostyle prayer hall

 hypostyle prayer hall 

hypostyle prayer hall (small altar in the center area)

The original, horseshoe arched mihrab or prayer niche is still well maintained. A mihrab is used in a mosque to identify the wall that faces Mecca. Whoever was leading the prayers would stand in the mihrab and his voice would project into the mosque with greater volume and clarity.

 the mihrab

 mihrab dome

The main altar is heavy in ornamentation. There is a choir area (the part of the cathedral between the high altar and the nave, used by the choir and/or clergy).

 main altar

choir

dome in the area of the main altar

There are lots of small chapel areas throughout the building.

one of many small chapel areas

This was my third time to visit the Mezquita, and I am still awestruck when I enter this most unusual mosque–cathedral. If you have not had the chance to visit Córdoba, I hope you enjoy the photos.

PS: This was one of 2, rent-a-car, day trips. The other was to Granada where another one of my favorite Spanish landmarks is located. If you are interested in more info on the Mezquita, the world wide web is at your fingertips. Here are a couple of places to start.

The Great Mosque at Córdoba/Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/ap-art-islamic-world-medieval/a/the-great-mosque-of-cordoba

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba/Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque%E2%80%93Cathedral_of_C%C3%B3rdoba

PPS: Muslims have been petitioning for years to pray in the Mezquita, but they have been consistently denied by the Catholic Church in Spain and the Vatican.