Cordoba Mesquita 785-987 - History of Islamic Architecture (sitios de interés)
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Cordoba Mesquita
The Great Mosque of Cordoba 785-987
The construction of the Mesquita (originally the Aljama Mosque) took over two centuries, starting in 784 A.D. under the supervision of the first Emir Abd ar-Rahman I, who built it as an adjunct to his palace - and named it to honor his wife - on the site of the Visigothic cathedral of St. Vincent. The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd ar-Rahman III built a new minaret, while Al-Hakem II, in 961, enlarged the plan of the building and enriched the mihrab. The last changes were carried out by Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Amir in 987.
Photo by Jorgen K H Knudsen Panoramio
In 1236 Cordoba was "liberated" by King Ferdinand III of Castile. The Mesquita was reconsecrated as a Christian church. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the structure of the mosque. The most significant alteration was the construction of a Renaissance cathedral in the middle of the structure by Charles V (1530s). Still this reversion to a Christian church (officially the "Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin") may have preserved the Mesquita. Charles V is known to have greatly admired the Mesquita.
The Mesquita is one of the most beautiful sacred spaces in the world, and Charles V's insertion of an entire cathedral only underscores the peace and quiet of the Islamic architecture.
Photos and plan Alfred Renz, op. cit.