MOSQUE-CATHEDRAL OF

CÓRDOBA

PREPARED BY: Rebecca Marie Tanduba (0322757) MODULE: Effective Public Communication LECTURER: Ms Persis Rodrigues SESSION: Tuesday, 4 PM SEMESTER: September 2015

ALTERNATE NAMES:

-CATHEDRAL OF CÓRDOBA

-GREAT MOSQUE OF CÓRDOBA

-CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION

“MOST ACCOMPLISHED MONUMENT OF MOORISH ARCHITECTURE”

-MEZQUITA DE CÓRDOBA

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

THE CITY has been inhibited since at least 300, 000 B.C.

ROMANS

VISIGOTHS

MOORS

KING FERDINAND III

ADVENT RULES OF:

• founded near pre-existing Tartesic Cordoba (capital of Baetica)

• acquired great importance during the period of Augustus

• built a temple dedicated to Janus

• defeated the Romans in 572 A.D. • replaced the temple and built a

Catholic Church dedicated to St. Vincent

• Ab-dur Rahman I (an Umayyad prince) captured Córdoba • in 756 A.D., declared it as his capital, Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba • bought a portion of the church compound to build a mosque • in return, he allowed Catholics to rebuild their ruined churches (St. Marcellus, St. Januaries, St. Faustus) • construction of mosque began in 786 A.D.

• Ferdinand III (later declared a saint), captured the city in 1236

• he converted the Great Mosque into a cathedral

• reinforce fortifications around the city

ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS

STRUCTURE & LAYOUT

Aerial and plan view of the Mosque-Cathedral

first construction in 785 A.D. - mosque measures up to 73 m square (half of which was a forecourt)

end of 9th century - worship hall enlarged in length to 138 m

early 10th century - enlarged to 186 m

end of 10th century - an area of 136 m x 138 m, with no less than 600 columns

1. ALMINAR - current bell tower that stands over the original minaret of the mosque

2. PATIO DE LOS NARANJOS - classic ablutions where Islamic worshippers wash before

entering the Great Mosque

3. ALJIBE - water source for Moorish baths

4. CHRISTIAN CATHEDRAL - location in the very centre makes it the “new” focus

5. SALA DE LA ORACIÓN - 800 columns built on former Visigothic church

6. LA SALA DEL MIHRAB - prayer room built with marble walls and covered in mosaic

The exteriors of the

mosque-cathedral

ORNAMENTATION &

MATERIALS USED

The Hypostyle Hall The Mihrab• salvaged from the Roman and

Gothic buildings • two-tiered arcade • marble columns • pillars are made of onyx,

granite and jasper • red-and-white stripes formed

by white stone and red brick • impressive carvings on the

capitals are from the ancient Visigothic basilica

• bordered by Koranic sculptures

• carved stucco adorned the upper walls

• scallop-shaped domes • richly decorated with

b e a u t i f u l l y - c o l o u r e d mosaics and gilded tiles

*Horseshoe-shaped arches

Capilla Villaviciosa

• famous landmark of Andalusia: the exterior wall with great door

• made of stone

• p a n e l s o f mahogany and scented w o o d s grouted to t h e w a l l s w i th go ld nails

• main altar of Córdoba

• g e o m e t r i c a l craftsmanship and decoration on the cathedral’s ceiling

• contains Hispano a n d F l e m i s h influences

• a l t a r p i e c e w i t h m o n s t r a n c e ( p l a c e where the

• consecrated host is kept) • flanked by paintings of

martyrs from Córdoba • above - painting of the

Virgin Mary • flanked by paintings of

two other martyrs from Córdoba

INTERESTING FACTS

• inscr ibed in World Heritage list in 1984

• declared by UNESCO as the Historic Centre of Cordoba

• evolution of “Omeya” style in Spain is found in the history of the mosque-cathedral

• combined with the Roman, M o o r i s h , G o t h i c , Renaissance and Baroque of Chri s t ian architecture styles

• architectural metaphor for the tensions between Christians and Muslims in Spain

• mosque is low-slung, conveying architectural humility

• cathedral (Gothic exterior, Renaissance interior) rises upwards, its flying buttresses anchored solidly on the roof of the mosque

• Spanish Muslims are still lobbying with the Vatican for a right to pray in the complex.

REFERENCES(n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://www.thousandwonders.net/Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

Historic Centre of Cordoba. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/313/

History of the Mosque. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://www.mezquitadecordoba.org/en/history-mosque-cordoba.asp

Kassam, A. (2014, December 5). Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral in name-change row. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/05/cordoba-mosque-cathedral-name-change-row-andalusia

Khan Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2016, from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/islamic-art-early/a/the-great-mosque-of-cordoba

THE MEZQUITA in Cordoba, Spain. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://www.ne.jp/asahi/arc/ind/2_meisaku/06_cordoba/cor_eng.htm

The Strange Story of Cordoba's Disputed Cathedral - Regina Magazine. (2015, April 6). Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://reginamag.com/the-strange-story-of-cordobas-disputed-cathedral/

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