Mezquita de Cordoba

Our final destination today was Seville but we made a very extraordinary stop in picturesque Cordoba for 4 hours en route to visit it’s most famous monument, the Mezquita de Cordoba (Mosque). We were absolutely mesmerized by the diverse and stunning architecture of the Mezquita. Built as a mosque in 785 by the Moors, on a site of a Visigothic church, and incorporating pre-existing Roman and Visigothic columns, the Mezquita was converted in the 16th century by the remarkable addition of a Christian cathedral inserted into the center of the building. This resulted in a unique fusion of cultures and architectural styles. We have never seen anything like it and found the visit extremely moving to see the peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Christians and Jews. Some of the architectural marvels here include the Hypostyle Hall which features over 850 red and white striped arches supported by 850 granite and marble pillars, creating a “forest of trees”, the Mihrab and Dome, a shell-shaped prayer niche in the mosque constructed in the 20th century and the Minaret Tower. The former minaret was preserved and now forms the base of the 16th century bell tower of the cathedral.Read more