The Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is the most important Islamic monument in the West, and one of the world’s most amazing sites. Its history sums up the complete evolution of the Omeyan style in Spain, along with the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles present in the Christian part of the structure.

The site now occupied by the Mosque-Cathedral seems to have been used for the worship of several different divinities since early times. The Visigoths built the San Vicente Basilica here. After purchasing part of the site, the early mosque was subsequently built in the same place. The basilica had a rectangular floor plan and for a time was shared by Christians and Muslims. With the growth of the Muslim population, the basilica was acquired in its entirety by Abderraman I and destroyed for the definitive construction of the first Mezquita Alhama, or main city mosque. Some elements from the Visigoth construction still remain, integrated in the first section built by Abderraman I.

The Great Mosque has two main areas: the colonnaded patio, or “sahn”, home to the minaret (beneath the Renaissance tower), the only contribution by Abd Al-Rahman III, and the prayer room or “haram”. This interior area has an array of dual-coloured columns and arcades that produce a stunning chromatic effect. The site is divided into five areas, corresponding to the different enlargements made to the mosque.

Courtesy of www.andalucia.org