Mezquita-Cathedral Mihrab Cordoba Spain
by Joan Carroll
Title
Mezquita-Cathedral Mihrab Cordoba Spain
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Photography And Digital Art
Description
One of the highlights of a visit to the Mezquita-Cathedral in Cordoba Spain is a viewing of the mihrab. A mihrab is used in a mosque to identify the wall that faces Mecca—the birth place of Islam in what is now Saudi Arabia. This is practical as Muslims face toward Mecca during their daily prayers. The mihrab in the Great Mosque of Cordoba is framed by an exquisitely decorated arch behind which is an unusually large space, the size of a small room. Gold tesserae (small pieces of glass with gold and color backing) create a dazzling combination of dark blues, reddish browns, yellows and golds that form intricate calligraphic bands and vegetal motifs that adorn the arch. In Cordoba, there is a shared religious history of this space. It is believed that a small Catholic Visigoth church originally stood on this site before Abd al-Rahman I ordered construction of the Great Mosque in 784. Córdoba returned to Christian rule in 1236 during the Reconquista, and the building was converted to a Roman Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century. In 1994, when UNESCO extended World Heritage status to the entire city center of Córdoba, it highlighted the importance of the “coexistence” of the mosque and the Christian cathedral, calling it “a great example of religious tolerance.” As peaceful as the building seems, controversy still exists. As one example, despite the shared religious history only Christians are allowed to use the cathedral-mosque as a place of worship. As a result, the historic centre of Córdoba risks losing its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site if the “Christianisation” of the Mezquita continues.
FEATURED PHOTO, Arts Fantastic World group, 2/10/19
FEATURED PHOTO, Whats New group, 2/6/19
FEATURED PHOTO, Comment For Comment - C F C group, 2/4/19
FEATURED PHOTO, Just Perfect group, 2/2/19
Joan carroll, arches, islam, arabic, gilt, arc, tourism, monument, interior, europe, temple, travel, culture, religion, muslim, moorish, golden, landmark, decoration, arched, islamic, mudejar, archway, door
Protected with PIXSY
Uploaded
February 2nd, 2019
Statistics
Viewed 3,045 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/18/2024 at 4:55 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Similar Images
Comments (54)
Recently Viewed
