Cordoba

Great Mosque/Cathedral of Cordoba

Populated with Catholics, churches can be found everywhere in Spain but one of my favorites lie in Cordoba.  The city was under Islamic rule in the 8th century and was one of the most populated cities in the world in the 10th century before it fell into decline like many great cities did.  One of the most interesting architectural landmarks in the city is The Great Mosque/Cathedral of Cordoba.  Built as an Islamic mosque, it was later converted into a Catholic church in the 13th century.  Incorporating ivory, gold, silver and countless dazzling ornaments into the mosque decorations with majestic Roman marble columns, the architectural details of the structure are breathtaking.  A spot of marvelous detail is the prayer mihrab which has geometric designs inspired by plants and dotted with colourful mosaics.  Christian features were gradually added to the mosque until the 18th century along with alterations such as turning the minaret into a bell tower. The red and white horseshoe arches in the main prayer hall are especially well-known. Coloured glass windows that allow sunlight to shine in add a sense of awakening to the cool and dark interiors.