page_title: Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba
section_title: Features
hierarchical_section_title: Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba / Design / Features
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo depicting the interior of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
context_page_description: The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba, officially known by its ecclesiastical name, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Córdoba dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. Due to its status as a former Islamic place of worship, it is also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba, or the Mezquita. The structure is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture built by the European Moors.
  According to traditional accounts, the Catholic basilica of Vincent of Lérins was built by the Visigoths during the rule of the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula; they officially converted to Nicene Christianity in 586 and the kingdom fell in 711.
  During the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, the basilica was originally divided in half for Christian and Muslim worship in 711. In 784, Abd al-Rahman I ordered the conversion of the church into a mosque and further construction, which was considerably expanded by later Muslim rulers.
context_section_description: The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite and porphyry. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple that had occupied the site previously, as well as other Roman buildings, such as the Mérida amphitheatre. The double arches were an innovation, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch. The famous alternating red and white voussoirs of the arches  were inspired by those in the Dome of the Rock and also resemble those of the Aachen Cathedral, which were built almost at the same time. Horseshoe arches were known in the Iberian Peninsula since late Antiquity, as can be seen on the 3rd-century "Estela de los Flavios", now in the archaeological museum of León. A centrally located honeycombed dome has blue tiles decorated with stars.
  The edifice also has a richly gilded prayer niche or mihrab. The mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural art, with geometric and flowing designs of plants. Other prominent features were an open court (sahn) surrounded by arcades, screens of wood, minarets, colourful mosaics, and windows of coloured glass.  The walls of the mosque had Quranic inscriptions written on them. As many adherents of Islam reject sculptural or pictorial representations of people or of God within religious contexts, all decoration of the cathedral is accomplished through tile work, calligraphy and architectural forms. Arrazi, an Arab writer, speaks of the valuable wine-coloured marble, obtained from the mountains of the district, which was much used in embellishing the naves of the mosque.
caption: Photo depicting interior of mosque–cathedral
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