Cordoban Mezquita

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History[edit | edit source]

First built in the mid-6th century as a church by the Visigoths, the Mezquita (Mozarabic, "Mosque") of Cordoba was acquired by the Umayyad conquerors of Spain and subsequently enlarged and refurbished over successive centuries, even as it was recaptured in 1146 CE by Christian forces and reconsecrated as a church.

The original site of the Mezquita was originally established by the Visigoths as the Basilica of Saint Vincent, but was eventually repurposed as the Aljama Mosque by the Umayyads. By the time of the first Taifa period, however, the original Basilica proved to be too small for the needs of Cordoba's Muslim population. New extensions to the mosque were subsequently ordered by a series of rulers, most notably by Hakim I and Abdul Rahman III - the most notable projects thereof were the construction of minarets for the azan (Muslim call to prayer) - as well as the vizier Al-Mansur, whose last construction projects resulted in the appearance of the Mezquita as we see it today.

Following the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, Cordoba fell to the Christian kingdom of Castille, and the Mezquita was acquired by the new Christian rulers of the city, who then proceeded to renovate the mosque as a Christian cathedral over the centuries thereafter. It was subsequently declared a national monument by the Spanish government in 1923 CE. Since then, it is today one of Cordoba's most famous tourist landmarks and functions both as a museum and a place of worship.

References[edit | edit source]