MezquitaCatedral

Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, commonly known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba, is a prominent religious building in Córdoba, Spain. It is regarded as one of the most important examples of Islamic architecture in the western world and later functioned as a Roman Catholic cathedral. The structure reflects the historical crossing of Muslim and Christian cultures in Iberia.

Construction began in the 8th century under the Umayyad emirate of Córdoba and continued with successive expansions in the 9th and 10th centuries. The result is a vast hypostyle prayer hall with hundreds of columns, where red-and-white voussoirs and double arches create a distinctive forest of columns.

The minaret of the mosque was later converted into the cathedral's bell tower, the Torre del Alminar. Inside, the Mihrab and other Islamic-era features remain visible, representing the original prayer hall.

Córdoba was conquered by Christian forces in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was consecrated as a Catholic cathedral in 1238. In the 16th century, architect Hernán Ruiz the Younger added a Renaissance nave, producing a layered mix of Islamic and Christian architectural styles.

The Mezquita-Catedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Centre of Córdoba. It continues to function as a cathedral and is also a major cultural and tourist landmark.