The Cathedral of Cordoba 안내. 코르도바(Cordoba)

The Cathedral of Cordoba 안내. 코르도바(Córdoba). 스페인(Spain)

 

 mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es

A live witness to our history

 

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1. Door of forgiveness                     2. Door of the deans           3. Door of saint Stephen

4. Door of Saint Michael             5. Door of Saint Catherine    6. Door of the Palms

7. Orange tree courtyard            8. Cloister                         9. Naves of ABD-AR-RAHMAN I

10. Expansion by ABD-AR-RAHMAN II.                              11. Expansion by AL HAKAM II

12. Museum of Saint VINCENT                                          13. Mihrab

14. Chapel of Saint THERESA & TREASURE                        15. Naves of AL-MANSUR

16. Main chapel                       17. Transept                     18. Choir

19. Chapel of Saint PAUL          20. Royal chapel                21. Chapel of VILLAVICIOSA

22. Parish of the TABERNACLE

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The Mother Church of the Dioceses

The cathedral of Cordoba is not simply a monument or a temple of different cultures; nor is it a mosque, but the Mother Church of the Dioceses. The term "cathedral" derives from "cathedra", or seat of the bishop, from where he acts as the pastor of all his people. That is why a cathedral is the express image of the Church of Christ that preaches, sings, & adores throughout the world. Thus the beauty of the Catheral of Cordoba does not reside in its architectural grandeur, but in the apostolic succession of the Bishop as a symbol of his pastoral service & the unity of the Church, founded upon the Word of the Lors, the sacraments, & the community of believers.

The Cathedral is alive, it is witness to our history. It acts as a book that conveys the message to those who will read it, the message of the altar, the naves, the altarpieces... teaching us to know & love God, the world, & the human being.

 

The Origins

Beneath every cathedral is always a bed of hidden cathedrals. In the case of Cordoba, tradition traces back to its Visigoth origins. This fact is confirmed by a archeological excavations, whose remains can be found at the Museum of San Vicente (Saing Vincent) & in the pits where the remains of mosaics from the ancient Christian temple can be observed on site.

It is a historical fact that the basilica of San Vicente was expropriated & destroyed in order to build what would later be the Mosque, a reality that questions the theme of tolerance that was supposedly cultivated in the Cordoba of the moment. This was the main church of the city, a martyry basilica from the 6th century, that would be remembered & venerated by Christians, centuries after its destruction.

 

The Islamic Intervention

Following the Islamic invasion of Cordoba, the dominating Muslims proceeded to the demolition of the martyry church of San Vicente &, in the year 785, began construction of the Mosque, a building that would come to be considered the most important sancturay of Western Islam, in a time when Cordoba was the capital of Al-Andalus (a territory extending as far as the Duero River). This impressive creation, the site of not only religious but also social, cultural, & political manifestations, went through four stages of construction;

 

Abd-ar-Rahman I : Ispired by the Mosque of Damascus, with the traditional distribution of sahn (ablution courtyard) & zulla (hall of prayer). Yet a strong Hispano-Roman influence is perceived, not only from the use of materials that came from the demolished church of San Vicente, but also because the direction of the nave was set towards (& not parallel to) the wall of the quibla, as was the case in Visigoth churches. Furthmore, the superposed arches & the alternation of brick & stone (red & beige colors) in the bonding of the arches were modeled after the Episcopal palace whose remains are found in the archeological site of Cercadilla.

 

Abd-ar-Rahman II : During this prosperous stage of the Independent Emirate (though also a time of Christian persecution), the first addition to the Mosque was carried out, maintaining the scheme of the preceding ruler & prolonging the courtyard & the aisles of the prayer hall. In this courtyard, the Omeyan caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III ordered the construction of the minaret that is now embedded in the tower of the cathedral.

 

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 Al Hakam II : In the full splender of the caliphate, the Aljama Mosque was so richly expanded that Cordoba woud come to substitute Damascus as a model of reference. This was a unique work, not only because of the materials created "ex-profeso" (as opposed to using existing remnants of other constructions), but above all because of the presence of Byzantine artists sent by the Christian emperor Niceforo Focas, who also provided the beautiful mosaics used in the construction of the mihrab (sacred area from where the imam lead prayer). There is another Christian contribution: ther cross-like design of the ensemble formed by the skylights & the mihrab, presenting the Latin cross plan & reaffirming the influence of the basilica structure found in the initial structure.

 

Al-Mansur: Carried out the final expansion, adding eight aisles along the east side of the building, including the courtyard. This was the most extensive part of the work carried out. Its intention was an ostentatious display of power, though it was not very original, as it merely copied the existing structure, keeping costs low. The alternating colors of the arches, for examples, are not produced with brick & stone but paint.

 

The Christian Transformation

King Ferdinand III. called El Santo (the Saint), reconquered Cordoba in 1236. It was his will that in the entrance to the city the royal banner be preceded by the Cross, symbolizing the importance of the recuperation of Christian faith above that of the territorial conquest. He also preferred to be absent during the purification ritual of the mosque, making the Eternal King the sole protagonist of the ceremony that would turn each stone of the edifice into a site consecrated to Christ.

 

It is evident that the Christians were eager the proclaim the Gospel that many had given their lives for. It was a matter of recuperating a sacred space that had suffered the imposition of a faith that was distant from the Christian experience. The Main Chapel of Villaviciosa was erected below the Al-Hakam II skylight, where the first Eucharistic ceremony of the Dedication of the Catheral was cerebrated in 1236. Thus the reforms of the Cathedral were motivated by the need to restore the cult that had been interrupted by Islamic domination, & they were a response to the desire of contemplating Christian symbols, or the inconvenience of celebrating the Liturgy amid a sea of columns.

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 Main Chapel. Transept, & Choir: The works, surrounded by controversy, began in 1523. The architects were Hernan Ruiz I, II & III, Diego de Praves, & Juan de Ochoa. The result was a Latin cross shaped plan, an ingenious integration of the caliph structures within the gothic, renaissance, & baroque creation. The main altarpiece was the work of Alonso Matias. The choir is covered by a vault inspired by the Sistine Chapel, with a extraordinary set of stalls by Duque Cornejo.

 

The Chapels: They are the result of the wish of believers to be buried at the cathedral & to furnish its walls with images expressing the Mystery of Christ. The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) stands out for its Mudejar plasterworks & holds the remains of Kings Ferdinand IV & Alfonso XI. Also noteworthy are the Capilla de la Purisima Concepcion (Chapel of the Immaculate Conseption), once the baptistery & now home to the monstrance of the body of Christ,

& the baroque Capilla de San Pablo (Chapel of Saint Paul). as well as many other chapels & altars found in the cathedral, displaying a rich artistic legacy, fruit of the faith & devotion of the Christian people. And especially striking is the Parroquia del Sagrario (Parish of the Tabernacle), for its mural paintings by Cesar Arbasia, of the Martyrs of Cordoba invited to the Eucharist, encouraging believers to remain firm in their faith.

 

The Cathedral Treasury: Composed of pieces used for cathedral cult as well as for chapter & Episcopal usage. The outstanding Corpus Christ monstrance by Enrique de Arfe is still used in modern-day processions, giving testimony to the devotion of the people of Cordoba towards the Eucharist.

 

The orange tree courtyard & the tower: The Muslim courtyard was remodeled with the construction of the cloisters. In the 15th century the original palm trees were substituted by the orange trees that now give it its name. The present-day tower was built over the minaret of Abd-ar-Rahman III, its belfry the work of Hernan Ruiz III. It is crowned by a sculpture of San Rafael (Saint Raphael), the guardian archangel of the city. Below the tower is the Puerta del Perdon (Door of Forgiveness), the main entrance to the precinsts.

 

A Reflection

It is Church, through its Cathedral Chapter, that has made it possible to keep the former mosque of the Western Caliphage. the oldest cathedral in Spain, & a World Heritage Site, from becoming a heap of ruins. In fact this has always been one of the missions of the Church; to safeguard & inspire culture & art.

 

The visit to the Cathedral of Cordoba may awaken the demand for a greater Beauty that will not wither with time. Because beauty, as truth & righteousness, are an antidote for pessimism, & an invitation to take pleasure in life, an impact that stirs the nostalgia of God. 

 

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