{"id":76176,"date":"2023-08-02T15:29:43","date_gmt":"2023-08-02T13:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visitanddo_1790.test\/?p=76176"},"modified":"2026-10-01T00:39:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:39:42","slug":"the-mosque-of-cordoba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/the-mosque-of-cordoba\/","title":{"rendered":"Decorative elements of the Mosque of C\u00f3rdoba"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The decoration of the Mosque of C\u00f3rdoba is not a single style; it consists of eight centuries of overlapping layers<\/strong>: Caliphate mosaics, plasterwork, tiles and Renaissance frescoes all within the same building.<\/p>\n

Ten elements, and where to look for each one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

1. Two-tone arches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Two-tone
The double arch: a horseshoe arch at the bottom, a semicircular arch at the top.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The building\u2019s most recognisable feature<\/strong>, and it is worth clarifying what it is like, as it is often described incorrectly.<\/p>\n

A horseshoe arch does not taper towards the top:<\/strong> is a bow that extends below the semicircle<\/strong>, closing by more than half a point. Hence the name.<\/p>\n

And they are organised into two levels:<\/strong> horseshoe stitch below, half stitch above<\/strong>, supported by pillars that extend the column. This was a way of gaining height by reusing columns that were originally short.<\/p>\n

Colour:<\/strong> the voussoirs alternate red brick and light-coloured limestone<\/strong>. It is not an added embellishment; it is the exposed material itself: it emphasises the geometry and enhances the sense of depth in the naves.<\/p>\n\n

2. The columns: why the figures don\u2019t add up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll see figures of 856, 1,000 and 1,300, depending on the source.<\/strong> They are all right in their own way, and here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n