Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba

　　    Built in 785 AD, the mosque in Córdoba was intended to be one of the most magnificent mosques in the world. Over the next two centuries, it was continuously expanded, eventually becoming the largest mosque in the Islamic world at the time. The Mudéjar-style Gate of Forgiveness (La Puerta del Perdón) from the 14th century leads to the Patio de los Naranjos, an orange grove planted with orange and palm trees. At the far end of the mosque lies an Islamic prayer hall, with a mihrab (prayer niche) oriented toward Mecca at its center for worship. Originally a Visigothic church, it was purchased by Abd al-Rahman I and converted into a mosque. In the 16th century, Charles V carried out extensive renovations. Coupled with additions and restorations by previous rulers, the mosque underwent several transformations, resulting in a somewhat mixed architectural style.

　　    After the Romans arrived in Córdoba, they built solid foundations around the city. At the beginning of the first millennium AD, Córdoba became the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Baetica and the seat of the Spanish diocese. In 756 AD, Abd al-Rahman, the last descendant of the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus, established his capital here and declared himself ruler. The masterpiece of Córdoba, the Great Mosque, stands as the most splendid monument of Eastern culture in the Spanish region. In the 10th century, with the status of a caliphate, Córdoba experienced a period of prosperity. As the most populous city in the West, it became the most powerful capital in the Islamic world, with as many as 300 mosques at its peak. In the 11th century, the caliphate politically split into two factions—the Murabitun and the Berber founders of the Almohad movement, a monotheistic sect—which reconciled again in the 12th century. In 1236, Ferdinand III expelled the Moors, and Córdoba’s incorporation into the Christian Kingdom of Castile led to its long-term decline. During the reign of Charles V, the mosque, now converted to Christianity, was transformed into a church.

　　 Buenos Aires, Argentina