A UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, La Mezquita is the Great Mosque that was created for the Caliphate of Córdoba, an important Moorish kingdom of Andalusia.
Built in the eighth century, the Mezquita is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and is considered one of the most striking monuments of Moorish Spain.
Enter through the Puerta del Perdón gateway that leads into the picturesque Patio de los Naranjos(Patio of Oranges) that is planted with fragrant orange trees and palms. This patio is where the ablutions prescribed by Islamic law were performed.
From the Patio de los Naranjos, visitors reach the Mudéjar-style Puerta de las Palmas, which opens into the prayer hall of the mosque. This impressive hall is an endless forest of 856 columns and awe-inspiring arches.
The marble and jasper columns are linked by red and white horseshoe arches. In this hall, the mihrabs (prayer niches) mark the direction of Mecca. The Mihrab Nuevo, which displays the Koran, is an incomparable work of Islamic decoration.
