5/5 Nomad J. 1 year ago on Google
The
mosque
structure
is
regarded
as
an
important
monument
in
the
history
of
Islamic
architecture
and
is
considered
by
many
scholars
to
have
been
highly
influential
on
the
subsequent
"Moorish"
architecture
of
the
western
Mediterranean
regions
of
the
Muslim
world.
It
is
also
one
of
Spain's
major
historic
monuments
and
tourist
attractions,
as
well
as
a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site
since
1984.
The
Great
Mosque
was
constructed
on
the
orders
of
Abd
ar-Rahman
I
in
785
CE,
when
Córdoba
was
the
capital
of
the
Muslim-controlled
region
of
Al-Andalus.
It
was
expanded
multiple
times
afterwards
under
Abd
ar-Rahman's
successors
up
to
the
late
10th
century.
Among
the
most
notable
additions,
Abd
ar-Rahman
III
added
a
minaret
(finished
in
958)
and
his
son
Al-Hakam
II
added
a
richly-decorated
new
mihrab
and
maqsura
section
(finished
in
971).
The
mosque
was
converted
to
a
cathedral
in
1236
when
Córdoba
was
captured
by
the
Christian
forces
of
Castile
during
the
Reconquista.
The
structure
itself
underwent
only
minor
modifications
until
a
major
building
project
in
the
16th
century
inserted
a
new
Renaissance
cathedral
nave
and
transept
into
the
center
of
the
building.
The
former
minaret,
which
had
been
converted
to
a
bell
tower,
was
also
significantly
remodeled
around
this
time.
Starting
in
the
19th
century,
modern
restorations
have
in
turn
led
to
the
recovery
and
study
of
some
of
the
building's
Islamic-era
elements.
Today,
the
building
continues
to
serve
as
the
city's
cathedral
and
Mass
is
celebrated
therein
daily.
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