Abd al-Rahman II: Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba (Spain)
Enlargement of Abd al-Rahman II
During the kingdoms after Abd al–Rahman I the Mosque wasn’t modified
significantly, above all under al-Hakam I (796-822). However in the period of Hisham I (788-796) the door of the court is conserved called Door of the Deans, that has a horseshoe arch similar to that of the oratory. And in the first part of the wall, Abd al-Rahman II built a mida’a, a pavilion with a fountain for purification and modest latrine, it was used till al-Hakam II ordered its destruction for building a street that there was previously. Besides he built on the roof of the Mosque a protected pass – by so in this was the “muezzin” or “almuedano” could call the believers five times a day. The court was finished by him. Finally in the northern zone, by the court, galleries for women was built, but we not know with
certainty the exact location.
But the most important task happened in 1976; he finished the first minaret, whose space was delimitated in the court by Félix Hernández. This minaret was situated on the right from the main nave; it had only one staircase and a door, it was 24m height. The first restoration was run by Abd al-Rahman II (822-852) and it was ended between 832 and 898. The works were directed by Nasr, who began the works, and Masrur who went on with them.
The arcades system and roofs was followed, but slightly different. The number of naves didn’t change. The space of the building doubled, 130m for 79m approximately and the number of
columns went up till 200. The wall of the Qibla was moved 8 parts - steps towards the south; of the ancient Qibla the pillars are conserved and this giv es more strength to the arcades, whose length to the arcades, whose length augmented. The oratory was enlarged till 64 m of depth and was almost squared. The Emir wanted the central nave to be more detached, and the wall of qibla transversal, what he got through the decoration with capitals. Of the galleries of the court only remains the
external oriental wall the other lateral galleries were on the 19 columns, where as those of the north side were 23.
Patrice Cressier and Christian Ewert have shown the importance of the capitals in the jerarquy of the individual elements of the oratory since the construction of the Primitive Mosque.
In the Abd al- Rahman I original plan, the central nave of the Mosque constituted the axe of symmetry for the distribution of the different capitals, reusing then for the
building and coming from the visigothic basilica.
However, since the period of Abd Al-Rahman II roman and corynth models copies were used, whose creation / shape weren’t rigorously classic. The upper side of the columns aren’t´ t put on bases. The selection of the columns of the maqsura was carried out carefully. The columns present streaps, the smallest of the Mihrab, are with marbles and fine capitals.
Muhammad I (852-886) finished his father’s works. In 865 the Maqsura was reformed and between 855-856 the decoration of the main
entrance was renewed. In the last period the Door of the Viziers was finished. In this period the new door was opened at one side of the oratory, this was discovered by archaeologist Don Félix Hernández, it opened in the middle of the oratory. This is probably, the most ancient of the mosque. This door was done by the Fatà Masrur. Finally during the al–Mundhir’s emirate (886-888) the room of the treasure was built. During Abd Allah’s period (888-912) the Sabat was built.
The Sabat was an upper pass e that connected the Alcázar to the zone of the maqsura; only Door of Saint Michael is conserved, and from this door the passage reached the mosque.
The Sabat, passage, was built for the believers, to make them avoid to raise their head whenever the Emir arrived and for protect him against possible attacks.
Text: Jesús Pijuán.
Traslated by Sara Moretti