Essay

The Grand Mosque of Córdoba remains to this day, one of the finest mosques, of that which once was part of the west of the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate. Córdoba was once the capital and seat of the Umayyad Caliph in Spain; then known as Al-Andalus. As such, this city was graced in the days of Islamic Rule by the building of a mosque; a most fundamental part of any Islamic city. If one were to think of Spain now, Islam is of course not the first thought that would usually come to mind. Spain is, after all, a Christian land with a deep Roman Catholic history, and the location of many Christian Pilgrimage destinations. Thus, one would be forgiven for thinking that the Islamic Empires had probably never even reached as far as West Europe. The Grand Mosque of Córdoba tells a different story.
Spain, during the 8th century, under the rule of the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I, fell into the hands of the Muslims. Coming up from the Maghrib, the Muslims attacked and successfully claimed the Iberian Peninsular. Later, after the fall of the Umayyads to the Abbasids, this Iberian outpost simply became an attempt to continue that, which once was a great empire. Visigothic Spain, therefore, came under significant Islamic influence. This research essay intends to highlight how the Grand Mosque of Córdoba; the Mosque intended on being that of the Caliphate in Spain, illustrates these influences. To understand this better, herein will be discussed, quite simply, aspects of the mosque, which demonstrate that the building, although currently in the form of a cathedral, displays aspects of Moorish Architecture and Art. Whereby, the influence of Islam on Spain will be noticed. In addition to this it will be discussed whether the original design of the Mosque...

... middle of paper ...

...sity. New York: Thames and Hudson, c1994.

“Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” The Nature of Islamic Art. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/orna/hd_orna.htm (accessed May 1, 2014).

Khoury, N. “The Meaning of the Great Mosque of Cordoba in the tenth Century.” Muqarnas 13 (1996): 80-98.

Longhurst, Christopher. “Theology of a Mosque: The Sacred Inspiring Form, Function and Design in Islamic Architecture.” Lonaard Magazine 2 (2012): 3-13.

Omer, S. “Towards Understanding Islamic Architecture.” Islamic Studies 47 (2008): 483-510.

Saoud, Rabah. “A Review on Architecture in Muslim Spain and North Africa (756-1500AD).” Foundation for Science, Technology, and Civilization (2002).

Stierlin, H. Islam: Early Architecture from Baghdad to Jerusalem and Cordoba. Cologne: Tsachen, 1996.

Turner, Tom. Garden History: Philosophy and Design 2000BC-2000AD. London: Spon Press, 2005.