Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-10-22
A Famous Mosque

i
ing the Mofqne OF CordoVa. Spain, go famou:
throughout tire world, is of wonder and be-
widernent; and moro than one visit is rs
ouired before he can distinguish the oi giaaI
structure 1r understand the changes that
have been made in 1t. sill give briei
description of the mosque as it was built In
7S6 and the following years. / WI 642 feet
long by AGE wide, the walls bsttlemen'e ed
and hauked with toWera, the roof hAt, the
beams apparent end richly gilt. L was d.
yided into 10 eis!es running the longer way
oy pillars bearing simple, lofty arches.
This aisles were crossed by 90 others,
rather more narrow an6 bearing double
arches, like two bows, one above another
The whole number of pillars was .200 It
had 10 handsome end vsried portals and the
inkeror of the walls were worked like lace
with marble aoC stucco. On one sido was
the ho:g Of hoiies. the Mih--sb, little chap
ell with floor and roof OF maro!ep and little
way frctn il was anclh cbap.l, ca! ed The
seat of the Kha Il, wih u floor of silver.
This wea the wncie construction OF the oiG
mosque. Upon the two chapes end the
space between them wera svished all the
riches of wealth aud genius.
They remain intact sud are indescTibablF
beautiful, ike fairy palaces. with mossics,
carvings, interiscing arches and insoiip-
tious in solid god. The mosaic work s
superior to any in the world and resembles
iucrustgtions OF levels. The MiE--"h S.as
lighted By a golden lamp Of 454 Ugh and
candle weighing 60 pounds, while ell the
roof of the rest OF the mosque vas hung
With eiivarisUd brorzs lamps, 10 sos lights
, T. r. q r
reading desk iroosiDg the Koran of ivory
and precious stores, worth S. 900 900, " b 'ch
was stolen not many years ago. We can
hardly fancy eoythiog more splendid than
this mo que must have been when lighted
up. Uader Charles Y. iu 1851 the elsera-
| tions were begun Tee roof was taken down
and the sisles vauted ever.
At the end of each aisle bideous chapel
to some saint was inccsed; The doors were
built up, with the exception of Two or three,
end church vas erected in ths middle OF
he forest o. pillars. q most incoDgruous
iuperiinence, at which the Emperor, when
be saw what had been done, was very
angry "You have spoiled" said he. what
can never be replaced Such, indeed, was
the fact. But enough is left for wonder and
| for beauty and il you turn your back to the
church and gazs through one Of the inter
aclng sisIes that remain, the changing eff
fects of perspective are magical The pill
| Iers, of which $50 still stand, are of porphy-
ry, jasper and marble, ssnt from Italy, Atri-
ca and the East; they have no bases. and
the capitals. afterwards added, are sinp pie
and rather clumsy.
The double arches which rest on them are
formed OF alternate layers Of red brick aud
white stonee which fortunately have not
been ghi;ewashed over. and supply the sin-
gle piece of co!cr left of the gorgeous hues OF
old The mosque. wonderful and most val
liable as 1t is, i. indeed but ghost of its for
mer self The Court of Oranges, which
fanks the northern side Of the building, is
very picturesque, surrounded by arcades
aad filed With orange and palm trees,
among which ere three Moorish fountains.
On one eide of the court stood formerly the
exquisite minsret of the moaque, which was
blown down by hurricane and has been re-
placed by an insignificant tower.-SGn Fran
cisco Chronicle.