The Christian Modifications

In 1236, the Christians, led by Fernando III, conquered Cordoba and Muslim rule retreated to Granada where it would survive for another 2 ½ centuries as a vassal of the the Castilian King. After defeat on the battlefield, Muslim communities would often surrender their large Friday Mosque in exchange for the right to remain in the conquered city. They would then typically have their own area governed by Islamic law. This was the case in Córdoba and the Grand Mosque was "baptized" through an elaborate Catholic ceremony. As in Visigoth days, this spot was again a cathedral. Some of the long aisles were converted to a nave; but major modifications (some would say destructions) were held at bay until centuries later.

Pictured at top center, the Gothic chapel was added over a 10-year period late in the 15th century, about the time Columbus was discovering an America lost ever since. The minaret received its Catholic cap in 1618.

Below is a picture taken from near the river during my 2001 trip, showing the several Christian modifications (including domes for the chapel and treasury poking through the mosque roof:

Supposedly the emperor Charles V criticized the Christian expansion on the basis that he had many cathedrals already, but this was the greatest Mosque in his huge realm – and it had been ruined. 

Even in Cordoba, the mayor fought against the creation of the cathedral in the Mosque’s space -- but the Archbishop excommunicated him. Charles V himself had to intervene to resolve the dispute, much to his later chagrin when he first saw the mosque. Not all government-approved restructurings work out, even when done by fiat. 

Navish modifications

Once more this was the site of a cathedral. (Remnants of the 5th century the San Vincente Visigoth cathedral were found buried below the floor during excavations in the 1940s.) With the flat ceiling converted to vaults, the 22-foot wide aisles created long worship space for the Christians. (This area we see above, now rippled with pews, is probably a side altar used as the serving as a long worship area for the congregation while the main nave and choir area undergo modifications.)

Note the Christian iconography (Descent from the cross at center, Resurrection at right) added in the tympanums created by blinding the Mudejar arches. The Gothic decorations below these scenes are nearly as abstract as Arab religious art but with a Gothic flair. If this were the most extensive modification, the overall integrity of the grand mosque may have remained.

When the Castilians conquered Cordoba in the 13th century, they were impressed with the building and the first wave of bishops did minimal adaptation to convert it to a cathedral.  Unfortunately, by the 16th century, succeeding bishops had less respect for this architectural icon. Cathedral factions complained that the various sections needed for worship (e.g., the choir) were too scattered about the huge prayer all and needed to be consolidated in a more traditional Christian space (i.e., nave, choir, main altar).

The Chapel

The nave and choir (to the left of the dome in the aerial picture) were closed for reconstruction, but we were able to visit the chapel and transept areas below the dome. Note the flying buttresses! (You may have to double-click on this photo to enlarge it).

Note the Moorish Mudejar arch (at far left in the right picture above) with the Baroque arch next to it. This ceiling seems to transition between the two eras as we approach the Christian cathedral.

Main Altar

The famous Ruiz clan architected the place: Grandfather Hernán Ruiz designed the overall Gothic structure. His son added many of the Renaissance interiors and his grandson was also involved. (It's easy to remember them as they all had the same name: Hernán. Other architects included Juan de Ochoa and Diego de Praves.) The main altar (below) is baroque. Here a bishop’s tomb guards the sanctuary from attack by those Muslim double-arched columns.

 

Below is another view of the main altar by Alonso Matias:

Below the bleached bishop's chair: In Greek, the word "cathedral" means a seat or throne.

Spreading the brand

When al-Hakam modified the mosque, he added icons and calligraphy extolling his Umayyad dynasty.  Above the double-eagled crest of the emperor Charles V watches over the sanctuary.

The dome ceiling

The Renaissance central dome and the Gothic vaulting of the half domes of the transepts are among the more interesting embellishments. The diocese claims this work of architect Juan de Ocho was inspired by the ceiling of  the Sistine Chapel.


If so, Michelangelo has little to fear from Juan de Ocho. While we have bishops at the dome's edges, the center holds the polychromatic reliefs of the trinity. We have God the Father here extending his fingers -- but quite different from His digits stretching life into Adam high above the Sistine Chapel.

A nave under repairs

The cathedral footprint is of the classic cross-shaped church but aligned northeast-to-southwest given its inclusion among the existing bays and aisles of the mosque. Since the mosque hypostyle space means each area is supported by its own set of columns, the Christians could raise their cathedral without the existing structure falling down.

Unfortunately our visit came while the nave and choir were being refurbished. I’ve found a few techically challenged pictures from my trip in the Fall of 2001 to give some idea of this area:

As we see from these older pictures, rather than looking through stained-glass windows, worshipers see through clear glass to the columns and Mudejar arches of the mosque. The design is by the father/son architects, Hernan Ruiz I and II. Their Hispano-Flemish style cathedral would be a gem anywhere but here. Despite the overall Gothic cross shape, the style is generally baroque and Renaissance. The pulpits are by Michel de Verdiguier. (To see some recent and high quality pictures of this area, click here. Be sure to spend time on the photos of the carvings on the mahogany choir stalls by Pedro Duque Cornejo.)  

Above right shows one of the two organs. One of the leading proponents for erecting the new cathedral in the “mosque within a mosque” of al Hakam was the choir director who was a noble of the Ponce de León family. Pedro Ponce de León complained that his choir had to sing from the corner of the huge mosque. He gave us this monstrosity and his cousin Juan gave us Florida. I’ll be hanged if we haven’t chad enough from this family!

Join us next for our last page which shows some of the many side altars that line the east and west edges of the Grand Mosque.  Please click here.

Please join us in the following slide show to give Córdoba the viewing it deserves by clicking here.

---

Previous:   Final Muslim Expansion        Next:  Side Chapels

TIP: Click on any picture to see it full size. PC users, push F11 to see it even larger.

TIP: See the rest of our travel pictures by clicking here.

TIP: See these pictures as a slide show by clicking here.