The Mezquita-Catedral

My main reason for coming to Córdoba was to visit the Mezquita-Catedral deNuestra Señora de la Asunción (the Mosque-Catedral of Our Lady of the Assumption).

Most commonly, it’s known as La Mezquita (Mosque). This might seem like an odd name for a consecrated and working catedral but the name indicates that this site preserves an extraordinary building, built as a Grand Mosque, later consecrated as a Christian church with dramatic and yet seamless “adaptions” to turn it into a cathedral.

It is thought that there was an earlier church basilica or (as more recent archeology suggests) there an episcopal complex built by the Visigoths on the site in the 6-7th centuries but few traces of this remain. Muslim sources suggest that, after the Islamic conquest, this building was initially divided and shared between the Moors and Christians.

In 785, the emir Abd al-Rahman I wanted to build a grand mosque and so bought out the Christians (who were allowed to rebuild several ruined churches), demolished the old structure, in order to build his grand mosque.

After a 20 minute walk from the station, I arrived in good time for my timed ticket to climb the bell tower. This is a baroque tower which includes (and reinforces) within its lower structure, the former minaret.

Much less high than La Giralda, and with steps not ramps, the views were still great.Read more