One of the world’s greatest Islamic buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mezquita, or Grand Mosque of Cordoba, is a symbol of the worldly, sophisticated culture that flourished here more than a millennium ago, in the 8th century, when Córdoba was capital of Islamic Spain and western Europe’s biggest, most cultured city.
The design evolved for around 200 years to its final form as the Grand Mosque, until it was repurposed as a cathedral and altered accordingly. One of the most famous features of the building is its 856 double arches that are modelled on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba remains a truly mesmerizing building that exudes history, culture and opulence.