13 FACTS ABOUT MOSQUE OF CORDOBA

Hi everyone! So in this page, I wanna share you about some facts about Mosque of Cordoba based on what I knew and a little bit googling. I went to Cordoba last summer and I got a guide to tell me more about the mosque. So here are the facts, enjoy! 

1. Cordoba is one of the capital of Andalusia, a region in South Spain

2. There's a main gate or like a bridge near the mosque. It used to be a main gate and a border of the city. So the region outside the main gate was outside the city of Cordoba and the region inside the main gate was inside the city. 

The Main Gate

The inner side is inside the city and the outer side (the side over there) is outside

Inside the city

3. The mosque was actually built as a church of Rome Empire but then when Muslim came to take over Cordoba, Abdurrahman I bought some part of the church and it became the first building of the mosque.This first part was included a prayer hall and a small park in front of it. Later, Abdurrahman II bought some part again beside the first prayer hall, this part also became a prayer hall. While after that, Abdurrahman III bought some part beside the first park to extend a park. The extension of the mosque continued, Al Hakam also bought a part of the church to be a prayer hall. The prayer hall's included the iconic mihrab and skylight. The mihrab and ceiling reflected Cordoba's culture, whether Islam and Christian side. Al Manshor also bought a part of a church but a litlle bigger included the extension of prayer hall and park.  

The border of part belonging

4. Christian took over Cordoba again and the mosque became the church again but, not all side of the mosque became the cathedral. The cathedral was only located on the main building. So the rest of the building was still same and didn't change. Masya Allah

5. Abdurrahman I built the mosque with elements that had a different origin. The inspiration of the element was from the ancient building all around the city, like a Roman Empire building. So it represented some different cultures. The example is the column of the mosque, every column inside the mosque was built differently because it reflected a different culture. 

6. The ceiling of the mosque had double arcs. Why? Because actually, there was only one arc from the first church origin but when it became a mosque, but Abdurrahman I wanted to have a higher ceiling, just like a mosque in Syria, Damascus or another Islam land.  So it built a higher ceiling and it became a double arcs, the higher (the extension) and the lower (the origin). 

The prayer hall with different column and double arcs (Source: Wikipedia)

7. The mihrab was really iconic, because it also represented a different culture. One of the element was a present from King of Byzantium, from Constantinople. It represented that Khalifah of Cordoba had a good relationship with another king in the world. Some part of Mihrab was made of gold.   

The Mihrab (Source: Wikipedia)

8. The mosque has a skylight, it's like a small window but has no glass near the ceiling. The skylight was made to let the sun light entered and shined the Mihrab. It also had function for the air circulation. 

The skylight (Source: Pinterest)

9. The arabic words on the wall in the mosque had never been removed, it stays there till now Masya Allah. He keeps His Name and Words.

10. The Mosque of Cordoba has one tower and it had a function to adzan. But when it took over by the Christian, the tower changed its function, it's paired some bells to ring. 

The Tower

11. There are some big building beside the mosque.It used to be a palace for Christian King but now it's the school of bishop.  

It used to be a palace but now it's bishop school

12. Muslim really influenced a Cordoba culture, like the hanging pots of flowers on the wall of Cordoba's house and a fountain. I shared about it in my post about Andalusia culture 

The fountain in the park

Can't you see the waterways for watering the tree?

The hanging pots of flowers

13. Entering the area of mosque is free, even to be in the park is free, but to enter inside the mosque, you have to pay € 10 and it has a schedule to enter it, so make sure to check it. Btw, it's written that you can enter it free from Monday to Saturday at 8.30-9.30 AM except on occasional commemorative days and the group is excluded it. It also free for children under 10 and it costs only €5 for children from 10 to 14 and disabled people. 

Check this before you go!

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