La Mezquita - Cordoba, Spain - 1000 Places to See Before You Die on Waymarking.com

The ambition of the exiled Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman was to erect a temple which would rival in magnificence those of Baghdad, Jerusalem, and Damascus, and approach in sanctity the fame of Mecca.

Abd al-Rahman and his successors, Hisham, Abd-erRahman II, the greatest of the dynasty and the third of the line, and lastly the extravagant Almanzor, lavished large sums upon the designing, construction, and costly adornment of the Mosque.

The Mezquita reached its current dimensions in 987 with the completion of the outer naves and courtyard.

The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple which had occupied the site previously, as well as other destroyed Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were a new introduction to architecture, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch. The famous alternating red and white voussoirs of the arches were inspired by those in the Dome of the Rock.

The edifice also has a richly gilded prayer niche or mihrab. The mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural art, with geometric and flowing designs of plants.

In 1236, Córdoba was conquered by King Ferdinand III of Castile, and the mosque was converted into a Catholic church in its centre.

The minaret of the mosque was also converted to the bell tower of the cathedral.

The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of El Libertador Charles V, king of Castile and Aragon. However, when Charles V visited the completed cathedral he was displeased by the result and famously commented, "they have taken something unique in all the world and destroyed it to build something you can find in any city."

Name of Source Book: 1,000 Places to See Before you Die, 2003 Page Location in Source Book: 256 Type of Waymark: Site Location of Coordinates: Entrance Cost of Admission (Parks, Museums, etc.): 8.00 (listed in local currency) List Available Hours, Dates, Season: Individuals may enter from 8:30-9:20 for no charge. All visitors will need to exit at 9:20. M - Sa : 10:00 ‐ 18:00 Su and holidays : 08:30 ‐ 11:30 and 15:00 – 18:00 Official Tourism Website: [Web Link]

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