Mezquita Cordoba (Cordoba Mosque) is a Roman Catholic church located in Cordoba, Spain. Mezquita is a Spanish word that means mosque. Mezquita was built in the 10th century during the reign of Abd-ar-Rahman III, one of the greatest rulers in the history of Islam.
By this time, Cordoba was the largest and richest city in Europe. The construction of the mosque adds even more to its magnificent beauty. The site was originally built as a Church, however, when the Muslim ruler took over the area, they began to use it as a mosque and expanded it into the second largest mosque in the world.
Mezquita is said to be Cordoba's most talented monument. When the Spaniards reclaimed the area from the Muslims, they again converted the area into a mosque. Today, Mezquita is used on Sundays, and the average cost of visiting Mezquita is 6 Euros.
One can enter the Church through the Patio de Los Naranjas, which is a common Islamic court and to this day, preserves its orange trees and springs. In the old days, when Mezquita was used as a mosque, all 19 gates were opened during prayer, so that they looked like an extension of the trees with shining sunlight. Mezquita is one of the few places in the world that contains two different cultures and is worth a visit despite your religion.
