Entering the vast quiet space is a “wow” moment.
The former mosque was built in 788 and expanded three times before reaching its final size in 991. There are over 800 columns topped by red and white double arches. They seem to go on forever.
A Visigothic mosaic from a earlier 6th century (much, much smaller) Christian church that stood on this site is visible through a window in the floor. Some of the columns and capitals in the mosque were made of materials recycled from Visigothic and Roman ruins.
The mihrab, from which the imam would lead services and preach sermons, is a niche decorated in gold. The imam would speak loudly into the niche and his voice would be amplified back to the faithful. The mosque accommodated up to 20,000 people.
Mihrab
After they conquered Cordoba in 1237, Christians immediately set up a portable altar and celebrated their first mass in the church new mosque. Mass has been celebrated here every day since. Today one can see the rows of chapels (behind the gates) that have been constructed all along two sides of the mosque. Another side displays architectural artifacts, the church treasury and the workings of an ancient pendulum clock.
Enormous monstrance used in annual Corpus Christi parade
Ceiling of the Treasury
Changes to the former mosque were done gradually until 1523 when Cordoba’s bishop ordered the building of a cathedral within the center of the mosque. It’s been recently restored to its white and gold finish, and is stunning. When we first entered the Mezquita, a mass was underway and the cathedral was closed off. We could glimpse the ceiling of the nave from outside the body of the church.
Once inside, it’s such a self-contained structure that it’s hard to remember you’re really still in the same building as the densely columned former mosque.
Looking through the choir to the back of the cathedral
And to the front
And up to the oval dome at the intersection of the nave and the transept. The cathedral punches through the roof of the 30 ft high mosque and soars to 130 ft. It’s a truly beautiful space.
Detail from the choir
And from the ceiling
At 11:30 we were diligently shooed outside by a cadre of security guards. We’d wanted to climb the bell tower, but it was closed. It incorporates the mosque’s minaret, which had a ramp up which a donkey was ridden 5 times a day, bearing the muezzin who would issue the call to prayer.
We had a few hours to kill before our train to Seville, and many sites were closed because of the Epiphany holiday. So we picked a destination of the map and wandered narrow medieval streets to get there.
The Plaza de la Corredera is historical town square surrounded by beautiful buildings, restaurants and shops. We sat in the sun to share hot chocolate and churros, and watched kids playing with gifts from the Kings while their parents enjoyed coffee nearby.
We next visited a new museum in a restored 10th century home. Called The House of the Heads due to its grisly history, the building has been restored and furnished as a typical home of a Middle Ages aristocratic family.
The grisly story is that the father of seven sons lived here in the 10th century. The sons were accused of slaying the wrong person, and sentenced to death along with their father. Instead, the sons were killed and the father punished by being imprisoned in this house while his sons’ heads were displayed in the adjacent alley.
Our favorite sight was happening upon an annual
neighborhood cookout of vast pots of migas. They were cooking for hours, starting with whole garlic cloves in olive oil, then green peppers, chorizo, salami, and fried bread crumbs. Eventually everything is stirred together. Unfortunately we had to leave to catch our train to Seville before they finished. But in the meantime every cooking group was sharing a table laid out with excellent cheese, meats, crackers, olives and wine. We were welcomed and included. It was so much fun.
I want to be friends with these people!
We’re now settled in our Seville Airbnb and looking forward to four nights in the same place with time to leisurely explore.
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