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Muslim Mosque Becomes a Cathedral

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The Muslims who invaded the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century built mosques and palaces throughout Spain. When Christians reconquered the southwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula in the first half of the 13th century, the massive mosque in Cordoba was transformed into a church.
It has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984.

The tower of the Islamic mosque, which was called an Aminar, became the bell tower of the Christian church.

Abd al-Rahman I, who ruled Cordoba at the end of the 8th century, built the mosque (a place of worship), and when King Ferdinand III of Castile reconquered Cordoba in 1236, he converted the mosque into a Christian cathedral and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary.
Its official name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), but it is locally known as the Mezquita, which means mosque in Spanish. The mosque had been built on top of the Church of Saint Vincent, which was established in the 6th century.

In front of the cathedral is the courtyard of orange trees, which was a place for Muslim ablutions.

The Patio de los Naranjos (courtyard) in front of the cathedral was originally a place of purification where Muslims performed ablutions before prayer. During the Islamic era, there were 17 open doorways on the wall of the cathedral facing the courtyard, making the cathedral an open space. Today, there is only one entrance gate.

The Puerta de San Ildefonso, which retains its Islamic architectural style.
The Gate of Pardon, the main gate from the time of the mosque. There is a statue of the Virgin Mary in a niche above the gate, which is decorated with geometric patterns.

Since Islam prohibits idolatry, decorations and the like are primarily geometric patterns.

After it was converted into a Christian cathedral, small chapels were added throughout the interior of the cathedral.
Approximately 800 circular columns and intersecting arches support the flat, large roof of the cathedral.
The Virgin of the Lanterns (La Virgen de los Faroles)

At the end of the 17th century, a resident named Rubio who lived on the north side of the cathedral donated the altar of the Virgin of the Lanterns. It came to be called the Virgin of the Lanterns because he lit a lantern there every night. It was rebuilt after being completely destroyed by fire in November 1927.



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