CR.046 Cordoba Mezquita

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Creator

Denis Baly

Creation Year

1974

Image ID

CR.046

Alternate Identifier

B49.127

Subcollection

CR: Southeast Spain

Abstract

Rich carved moldings on the ceiling above the nave of the 16th century cathedral inside the mosque of Cordoba.

Description

The Great Mosque of Cordoba is considered to be the one of the most remarkable monuments of Umayyad Spain and a masterpiece of medieval architecture. It was built in several phases, beginning with Abd al-Rahman I (784-86), and with perhaps the most significant additions by al-Hakam II. The present courtyard of the hypostyle mosque depicts the ‘forest of columns’ that this building is so famous for. One of the most important innovations was the use of double-tiered arches, which elegantly supported the roof and increased the height as well. Jerilynn Dodds has described the effect of this in equally powerful words: “…the columns that support the hypostyle hall explode into a labyrinthine elevation of superimposed horseshoe shaped arches composed of voussoirs in which deep red brick and white stone alternate. This carnivalesque solution converts a basic building type that is repetitious and by nature somewhat monotonous into a wild three-dimensional maze, a hall of mirrors in which the constant echo of arches and unruly staccato of colors confuse the viewer…” – SK

Image Notes

Photograph created March 1974. Photograph processed June 1974. Formerly catalogued as B49.127. Notes written on the slide or index: Cordoba, Mezquita, interior.

Curator Notes

This slide appears to have been placed in a new frame, and thus does not have a printed date. However given the written date and the similarities in content and color to CR.045, we can safely assume it shares the same processing date of June 1974

Image Format

Article

Geographic Reference

Córdoba, Spain