ENLARGEMENT OF ALMANZOR. PARISH OF THE TABERNACLE. The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba has been a Natio- VISITOR MAP-GUIDE 8 9 BELL TOWER. From the original From a sculptural point of view, Its main attraction lies in the 13 Muslim minaret to the current bell nal Monument since 1882. It was declared a World He- the extensive work of Almanzor did ornamental wall paintings started ENLARGEMENT OF ABD AL-RAHMAN II. tower, this element has marked the 3 not lead to any notable contribution, in 1583 by César Arbasia, an artist ritage Site by UNESCO in 1984 and in June 2014 was The original structure was retained, image of the city, rising as it does as can be seen from the voussoirs who undertook this work although the bases of the columns impressively over the landscape. It has given the honour of being classified as a Site of Outs- of the arches which do not alternate focussing on the artistic fashions were removed. The main contribution been added to and remodelled by between stone and brick but have in Italy at that time. Its iconogra- tanding Universal Value, recognising that the religious from this phase is eleven capitals various architects and this gives it the instead been faked through painting. phy focuses on the martyrs of the worked using a boring technique and unique appearance that it has today. use of the temple has guaranteed the preservation of He also extended the patio, to which city, with the highlight being the made by local craftsmen. MIHRAB. Instead of being a mere 6 he added an underground cistern. Holy Supper of the TRANSEPT. This is a space that, as the monument. niche to show the direction of 10 With Almanzor the building lost the presbytery. a true feat of engineering, THE ORIGINAL MAIN CHAPEL. prayer this became a small octagonal 4 axis around which it was structured, provides us with a perfect dialogue ORIGINAL MOSQUE OF ABD VILLAVICIOSA CHAPEL. The room covered by a scallop shell 9 1 acquiring the quality of an infinite between Gothic, Renaissance and The Cathedral Chapter of Cordoba, sensitive to the AL-RAHMAN I. The floor plan of change to Christian worship led to dome. The ornamental work of the construction and giving the site Mannerism art. The transept was the original mosque was based the construction of a large Gothic mosaics comes from the Byzantine cultural heritage and aware of the importance of the an enveloping feeling. established as an immense skylight on a basilica model and followed nave with a basilica floor plan, which tradition, which arrived through the G to inundate the building with light WE ALSO RECOMMEND legacy received, has since 1236 focussed its efforts on the example of mosques in originally boasted ornate walls. craftsmen sent by Emperor Nicepho- and adds a beautiful complexity Damascus and the al-Aqsa What stands out here is the roof, rus II. Its expressive force lies in the A Chapel of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. preserving and raising awareness about the temple, E to the extraordinary mosque in Jerusalem. The reuse where transverse arches were used plant motif bays and the richness of 8 F B Painted altarpiece of the Santa Cena by Pablo de Céspedes. D building. which has allowed this monument to survive into mo- of materials gives it a noticeable to support a framework of gabled the mosaics which cover both the H 6 C Exhibition area for the old Basilica of San Vincente. dern times. Hellenistic, Roman and Visigoth wooden coffers, on which plant mihrab and the adjoining doors to D Chapel of Santa Teresa and Tesoro Catedralicio. feel. Its originality lies in the motifs alternate with inscriptions in the Treasury and the Sabat. E Painted altar of the Encarnación by Pedro de Cordoba. I 5 construction which is based on Latin and Greek. 10 7 F Anonymous wall painting of Bautismo de Cristo. the superposition of a double G Stonemasons' marks from the enlargement of Almanzor. arch which allows for higher 11 H Original eastern wall from the enlargement of Al-Hakam II. ceilings and which has deter- 4 C I Main Altarpiece, with paintings by Antonio Palomino. mined the constructive evolution 3 B J Altarpiece from the chapel of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, with K J of the building and influenced the paintings by Antonio del Castillo. history of its architecture. K Beams from the original roofing. Open every day of the year 12 1 2 From March to October A Monday to Saturday Construction Module. 10am – 7pm Being influenced by the aqueducts 5 ENLARGEMENT OF AL-HAKAM II. 7 Sundays and religious holidays and triumphal arches of ancient 6 The involvement of Al-Hakam II 8.30am – 11.30am and 3pm – 7pm Rome, the space is configured in the Aljama led, while respecting through a framework of columns the original model, to the enrich- From November to February 13 on which sits a system of superim- 5 ment of its appearance, making Monday to Saturday posed double arches. This creative 4 MONUMENTAL SITE it more innovative and lavish in 3 10am – 6pm solution, bringing together various ARCHAEOLOGICAL AREA OF SAN style. Stylised plant motifs, marble 2 c Sundays and religious holidays 2 architectural elements, is not only THE MOSQUE-CATHEDRAL VICENTE. Under the Mosque-Ca- and mosaics were just some of the 8.30am – 11.30am and 3pm – 6pm audacious and highly individual, thedral of Cordoba is the archaeolog- materials used for the maqsurah and but also creates a noticeable feel- ical evidence of the existence of the the mihrab to create one of the most 1 b OF CORDOBA C/ Cardenal Herrero, 1 ing of transparency, gracefulness Basilica of San Vicente. The pieces beautiful and imaginative structures 14003 Cordoba (Spain). CHOIR STALLS. In 1748, the ORANGE TREE COURTYARD. and lightness. recovered during its excavation are in the world of architecture. The 11 12 Tel.: (0034) 957 470 512 Chapter commissioned Pedro The former Muslim ablutions a now on display in the San Vicente space is enhanced by the construc- ROYAL CHAPEL. The power and Original Mosque www.catedraldecordoba.es 7 Duque Cornejo with the sculpting of patio made way for the Christian exhibition area. tion of four skylights, the first in the religiousness of the Spanish Abd al-Rahman I 1. Column: 3. Modillion of rolls [email protected] the choir stalls. He created a superb patio. Its current appearance is due a. Base 4. Pilaster These include a fragment of a entrance to this enlargement and the Monarchy can also be seen in this b. Shaft 5. Horseshoe arch Follow us on Facebook 1st enlargement space both in terms of the quality of to the involvement of Bishop Fran- Paleo-Christian sarcophagus, a mar- other three preceding the mihrab. building. It was King Enrique II who, c. Capital 6. Voussoir Abd al-Rahman II its execution and its iconographic cisco Reinoso, who added the rows 2. Cyma 7. Semi-circular arch ble plaque with the chi-rho (a mono- Their function is to provide more in the year 1371, ordered the significance. He also created the of orange trees as a continuation of gram of chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ) as the first light and to display a rectangular construction of the Royal Chapel as 2nd enlargement Episcopal See that presides over the the columns in the prayer hall. two letters of Greek Khristos Christ) floor plan covered by a corbel vault the burial place of Alfonso XI and Al-Hakam II premises with its particularly C/ Cardenal Herrero, 1 www.catedraldecordoba.es and the remains of a Visigoth font. of intersecting arches. Fernando IV. This area, which cannot 3rd enlargement magnificent “Ascension of Christ”. 14003 Cordoba (Spain) [email protected] be visited today, is covered by a vault Almanzor Tel.: (0034) 957 470 512 Follow us on Facebook of crossed arches, decorated with beautiful honeycomb work. Current state of the monument with the transept by Hernán Ruiz I The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is his space has been home to a collection of build- PUERTA DEL SABAT (DOOR OF THE SABAT) one of the most exceptional monuments ings among which was the T This door led to a raised passageway Visigoth Basilica of San Vicente that connected the maqsurah with the (mid-sixth century), which became in the world, a testimony to the ancient Umayyad palace. Its function was to the city's main Christian temple. allow the caliph to go and pray. alliance of art and faith. With the arrival of the Muslims the area was divided and used by both Mosque of Abd al-Rahman I Enlargement of Abd al-Rahman II Enlargement of Al-Hakam II Enlargement of Almanzor Royal Chapel communities. and Gothic Nave Its Islamic architecture, with Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine touches, comes together with Christian archi- Abd al-Rahman I built the original Much later, in the year 951, the The final of the enlargements It was Bishop Alonso Manrique tecture to create one of the most beautiful examples of Mosque (786-788) in response to caliph Abd al-Rahman III began (991) was a demonstration of power who ordered the building of the the growing population. Its floor construction of a new minaret. This by Almanzor, hajib of the caliph transept (1523-1606). The con- PUERTA DE SANTA CATALINA its kind. Inside, among an impressive array of columns, plan includes eleven naves standing reached the height of 40 metres Hisham II. In this phase the site was struction process was begun by (DOOR OF SAINT CATHERINE) arches and domes, we come across splendid works of perpendicular to the qibla wall, with and inspired the minarets in the extended towards the east by add- Hernán Ruiz I in an imaginative way, Its current appearance is the result the central one being higher and Mosques in Seville and Marrakesh.