CR.059 Cordoba - Views on the river

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Creator

Denis Baly

Creation Year

1974

Image ID

CR.059

Alternate Identifier

B49.140

Subcollection

CR: Southeast Spain

Abstract

A view of the mosque of Cordoba across the river Guadalquivir. The name of the river is derived from the Arabic ‘al-wadi al-kabir,’ meaning “the great riverbed.’

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 B49.140. Notes written on the slide or index: Cordoba, Mezquita, views on the river.

Image Format

35 mm slide

Geographic Reference

Córdoba, Spain