Great Mosque of Cordoba - Spain

  Great Mosque of Cordoba   

            Not a lot of buildings in the world can boast of surviving the test of time yet the Great Mosque of Cordoba has done just that. Standing tall in the Andalusian region, the mosque shares a colorful history of the past. The area the mosque now occupies used to have a Roman built temple dedicated to Janus. After the Romans left, the Visigoths used the temple as a church for Catholic worship. 

 Image from pixabay

When Islam came to Spain, the temple became a shared place of worship until Emir Abd al-Rahman I bought the entire building, demolished it, and rebuilt a mosque.   

        If you visit Cordoba nowadays, you will discover the architecture of a time where Spain was largely ruled by Islam. Traveling to Cordoba is made easy and convenient by how well-connected the city is. The closest airports are in Madrid, Malaga, and Sevilla. From these cities, you can travel by high speed railway. The travel from Madrid to Cordoba will usually take an hour and 40 minutes; the lowest fare is at 45.75 euros or 54 USD. 

If you are from Malaga, it will take 50 minutes by high speed railway and for approximately 42 euros or $50. The closest city is definitely Sevilla which takes 40 minutes by high speed railway and with fares at 30.40 euros, $35. Apart from the high speed rail, there are also regular trains that service the city. Once in Cordoba, you can take a taxi or walk to the mosque if you have arrived from the train station. Most visitors though prefer to walk to the mosque as the downhill walk can be scenic and refreshing.  

 Image from pixabay

 Image from flickr

       Most locals refer to the Great Mosque as Mezquita-Catedral. Outside the mosque is a courtyard with orange trees and fountains called Patio de los Naranjos. Take a walk here while waiting for your turn to see the mosque. You will also find the kiosk that sells tickets in the patio. Adults will need to pay 10 euros ($12) while children’s entrance fees are at 5 euros. Children under eight years old can come in free. 

Guided tours are charged at 40 euros per person. The mosque is open from 10AM until 6PM on Mondays until Saturdays. On Sundays and during religious celebrations, the mosque is open from 9AM – 10:30 and 2:00PM until 6PM.   

 Image from pixabay

        Inside the mosque, you will marvel at how grand it is. The Hypostyle Hall shows the red and white columns of the mosque made of brick and stone. You can see the sunlight streaming into the marble and arches making it more beautiful. The center of the hall has the mihrab that is decorated in Byzantine gold. 

Make sure to look up to marvel at the dome with pointed arches covered in gold. In the middle of the Great Mosque, you can still see the cathedral built in the 16th century that follows the Baroque architecture of its day. Don’t leave the mosque without climbing Torre del Alminar to get a good glimpse of Cordoba from above.  

It is truly one of the few places in the world where you can trace a country’s history so closely through its architecture.   

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  ( All images found in google image search and I added images source with the website name. These images are not mine. if there have any false details in this article , please accept my apologies )