From the fifth to the eighth century Córdoba was ruled by
the Visigoths. Two hundred years later, the Moors came, with the help of the
city’s disaffected Jewish residents. The Islamic rule permitted the worship of
other religions, so Jews, Christians and Moors lived and worked cheek by jowl.
A far cry from the intolerance of the Spanish Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand
who threw out of Spain not only the Arabs but also the Jews in 1492.
Cordoba - the river is often populated by cattle and goats in the height of summer!
It’s an intriguing fact that often beneath any place of
worship you may find older hidden churches and cathedrals. Apparently, during
the Visigothic period the church of San Vicente was built, only to be destroyed
by the Moors who began in 785 to build on the same site their great mosque; the
construction took two hundred years and the mosque was considered so important
that it saved the city’s inhabitants the arduous pilgrimage to Mecca, which
boasted the only mosque of greater size and importance.
Abd al Rahman I, inspired by the Mosque of Damascus,
intended the design to include the traditional ablution courtyard – where the
faithful washed before prayer – and the hall of prayer itself. His successor,
Abd al Rahman II, carried out the first addition, lengthening the courtyard and
the prayer hall aisles. A minaret was
constructed in the courtyard but this is now embedded in the cathedral’s 93m
high bell tower, Torre del Alminar. Al Hakam II increased the splendour of the
decorations, bringing Byzantine artists to provide beautiful mosaics. The final
expansion of the mosque was effected under the rule of Al Mansur.
With its seventeen aisles, divided by tiers of arches
spanning columns often taken from Roman and Carthaginian sites; it still has a
powerful effect on any visitor entering from the Courtyard of the Orange
Trees. The profusion of magnificent
arches has been called ‘a holy jungle’, which is most apt with about 850
columns creating a criss-crossing of alleys, the pillars supporting two tiers
of striped arches that add height and create a remarkable feeling of space.
The mihrab – a prayer recess – is situated along the wall
that faces Mecca
and it held a gilt copy of the Koran. Here you can appreciate the exquisite
mosaic art and interlaced arches. The mihrab is topped by a shell-shaped dome.
The worn flagstones indicate where pilgrims circled it seven times on their
knees – it’s now fenced-off, probably to preserve the floor.
The great mosque and its courtyard were places of worship,
centres of teaching, of justice and here too a social life thrived.
In the eleventh century, civil war devastated the city,
hundreds were massacred and much of the beautiful city destroyed. Although it
remained a Muslim city for another two hundred years, its power had gone, being
transferred to Seville
and other petty Islamic kingdoms. Córdoba finally fell to the Reconquest in
1236 and its Muslim inhabitants fled south.
Immediately after the Christians took the city, the great
mosque became their cathedral – Church of the Virgin of the Assumption – with
minor architectural changes, such as placing chapels in the outer aisles. The
first chapel – Capilla de Villaviciosa – was built in 1371 and its multi-lobed
arches are quite stunning. In 1523 began the construction of a tall cruciform
church in the centre of the mosque building. Emperor Charles V had given
unthinking permission for the construction. When he saw the result, he accused
the cathedral builders: ‘You have built here what you or anyone might have
built anywhere else, but you have destroyed what was unique in the world.’ Part
of the Mezquita was destroyed to accommodate the cathedral; much of it survived
and was transformed. And with its dazzling visual effect, the great mosque is
still unique.
What is surprising is that, unlike so many other times, the
reconquering Christians actually let the original Islamic building stand. They
razed many to the ground. This great mosque and the Alhambra palace of Granada
suffered privations, but even now they’re still standing, captivating emblems
of Arabic history and culture.
Now you encounter the breath-taking forest of Islamic arches
then the hodgepodge of styles (Gothic, Renaissance, Italian and Baroque) that
comprise the Christian cathedral. The
Christian architects created a Latin cross shaped plan, ingeniously integrating
the caliphal structures. The main altarpiece is covered by a vault inspired by
the Sistine Chapel, with an unusual set of stalls. Outside, the Muslim
courtyard was remodelled with the cloisters. Original palm trees – imported by
the Caliphate – were replaced by orange trees in the fifteenth century. It has been argued that the Cathedral administration has
preserved the great mosque, which is now a World Heritage Site.
That's a fabulous looking building. Thanks for sharing, Nik. I've only seen a tiny amount of Spain so far and there's a wealth, as yet, unexplored for me.
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested to know the effect of Islamic rule on Spaniards of today. Does it make them unique in any way, different from other "Christians," for example. Is the Spanish penchant for providing for family (as in nepotism) above any other responsibility from Islam? Or does it come from someplace else? This seems to have taken root in former Spanish colonies (especially in Central and South America, but also in the Philippines). I just wondered . . . . . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy. There's a lot to explore, it's a big and diverse country. Chuck, I can't do justice to your question here - but briefly the Arabic influence is evident as you say in family and culture. An interesting book that touches on this is Duende by Jason Webster, autobiography as travelogue...
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