A short train ride from Sevilla brought us to Córdoba, a regional capital of Al-Andalus through five centuries of changing emirs, caliphs, and dynasties. Our rental apartment was one tiny medieval block from the city’s most prominent site: La Mezquita, or the Great Mosque. Following a complex history, it is now called the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.
The mosque was constructed in 785 AD and added to several times over the next two centuries. Its official opening date was 988 AD. In 1236, when the city was captured by a northern Christian kingdom, the mosque was converted to use as a cathedral with only minor modifications. Three centuries later, in the 1500s a new bishop ordered a Renaissance nave and transept constructed in the center of ancient building. Before going, I couldn’t picture this. I imagined walls within the mosque’s forest of columns, … but, no. The new high walls and vault rest on the old arches, so there is a direct flow through from one area to the other, though not a smooth transition. To me — because of the abrupt change in materials, height, style, and light level — the transition is visually jarring… yet somehow completely engaging. It turns out, I’m not alone: The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (Carlos I of Spain) said of the bishop’s new work: “You have built here what you, or anyone else, might have built anywhere; to do so, you have destroyed what was unique in the world.” The Great Mosque was definitely a highlight of our trip.
There is an €11 fee for entry — advance tickets are not necessary. We made the mistake of advance booking through a site that looked like the official site, but was not. What they sent was not a ticket, and we had to buy tickets again. Luckily, our credit card got us reimbursed.
The Never-ending Arches
The Maqsura, Mirhab, and Entrance to the Capilla Real
The Cathedral
Some Details
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Mad Dog
December 20, 2022 at 5:52 amStunning!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:58 amIsn’t it?
2pots2cook
December 20, 2022 at 6:34 am…. another pearl….. amazing….
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:56 amIt just goes on and on…
Linda Doughty
December 20, 2022 at 9:00 amStunning pretty much sums it up. Good travel tip, too.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:55 amThanks, Linda!
Donn Poll
December 20, 2022 at 9:16 amExquisite photos… what a treat for us here. Thanks again boys.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:55 amYou are in for a lot of beauty, my friends…
Susan Esco Chandler
December 20, 2022 at 9:20 amThe ongoing history of how the more things change, the more they remain the same.
Lovely photos!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:55 amFacade to decade, century to century, millennium to millennium — la plus ça change, la plus c’est la même chose.
Jane
December 20, 2022 at 9:25 amSo many of those arches look as if they are “Trompe-l’oeil” – absolutely amazing – the whole mosque-cathedral!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:54 amThere was a real sense of trompe-l’œil, Jane — probably because it was so immense we could not believe it could go on!
Eha
December 20, 2022 at 2:52 pmThank you so much! Absolutely love the light in the Cathedral ! . . . and the arches ! As you may know my gf Vicki Challancin has been a guide to Morocco for a few decades and now owns a riad or inn in Marrakech – I have to look amongst her v many photos of arches . . . some (rather naturally) present a very similar picture and geometrical patterns . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:52 amYes, the Mozarabic architecture shared between Andalucía and Morocco is quite amazing.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
December 21, 2022 at 6:47 amI haven’t visited too many mosques / cathedrals in Europe (to compare) so this is something really unique to me. Beautiful architecture (those arches though), decor elements, and colours. Stunning!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:52 amThe arches really captivated me, Ben — such a beautiful space.
sherry
December 21, 2022 at 3:02 pmonce again stupendous architecture. all a bit overwhelming! happy festive season David and Mark.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:51 amThese places need a lot of time to soak in all the details, Sherry — they are overwhelming!
Raymund
December 22, 2022 at 4:19 pmWow, this is simply stunning
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:50 amIsn’t it?
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
December 22, 2022 at 4:49 pmWhat an amazing place, David. And the photos are stunning. Makes me want to get on a plane right now…
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:49 amIt makes me want to get back on the plane now, Frank!
Valentina
December 29, 2022 at 2:28 pmAbsolutely breath-taking, David. Those red-striped arches go on for days! 🙂 ~Valentina
The-FoodTrotter
January 9, 2023 at 11:41 amI was definitely stunned by Cordoba mosque-cathedral…. So majestic!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 13, 2023 at 7:42 amI could spend an entire week there!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
January 16, 2023 at 9:34 amIt looks like a fantasy the way the arches go on and on.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 16, 2023 at 1:25 pmThey really did seem endless – quite magical!