The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is one of the most important religious monuments in the world. A visit to it is, of course, a must on a visit to Cordoba. A true architectural masterpiece mixing the Islamic style for its mosque, with the Gothic, Renaissance or even Baroque styles. This ensemble has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 and has been declared "outstanding universal value" since 2014. This mosque-cathedral, the mezquita of Cordoba, is unique in its kind for its exceptional conservation. In this article you will find out how to visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba and learn more about its history.
Summary:
- Practical advice for visiting the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
- History of the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
- Visit the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba: Tickets, prices, timetables and guided tour
- Course of the visit to the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
- My opinion on the visit to the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
This link allows you to book your guided tour of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba directly with a skip-the-line ticket. Book your visit
Practical advice for visiting the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
Let's start this article with some advice on visiting the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. It is very popular, it is indeed one of the most visited monuments in Andalusia.
Regarding the visit of the mosque-cathedral and the purchase of tickets, I strongly recommend the guided tour. In general, I often recommend this mode of visit but even more so for this mosque-cathedral.
The price for an entry is 10€, the audio guide will cost you 3€ and the visit of the bell tower 2€, which will make you a total of 15€. Some guided tours of the mosque-cathedral start at €16. This very small difference between these two rates leads me to strongly recommend that you opt for this second solution.
In addition to benefiting from a guide who will tell you more about the history of the cathedral, you will save precious time since you will not have to queue at the ticket counter or at the audio- guides, nor at the entrance to the mosque-cathedral.
Indeed, guided tours can be booked directly online.
History of the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
Now let's move on to the incredible history of this place. We will only see here a summary of its history, you will learn more by visiting this mezquita in Cordoba, in particular via a guided tour.
Early Christian period:
The history of this mosque-cathedral begins in the middle of the 1237th century when it was still only a Visigothic basilica. A distant story since, by way of comparison, the Alhambra in Granada only saw the light of day in 1882 while the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, for its part, only saw the light of day in XNUMX.
Muslim period:
When Muslims arrived in the region, this basilica was divided and its use shared. It was in 786, under the reign of Abderrahmane I, that the construction of the very first mosque was undertaken. It was then made up of 11 naves.
It was half a century later, in 833, that Abderrahmane II undertook the first enlargement of the mosque. He adds 8 new naves. The capacity of the mosque is then 9 faithful.
In 951 it was Abderrahmane III who undertook the construction of a new minaret more than 40 meters high. This will serve as inspiration for the construction of the minarets of the mosque of Seville as well as that of Marrakech.
In 962, the mosque underwent its second expansion under the reign of Al-Hakam II. This is enlarged by 12 new naves and the courtyard is also enlarged to keep the proportions of the mosque. Its capacity then increases to more than 15 followers.
On the death of Al-Hakam II, his son Hicham was only 11 years old, it was his tutor, Almanzor who then took power and undertook the last and most important expansion. While until now the enlargements were exclusively made towards the South, Almanzor enlarged the mosque by 8 new naves towards the East, which gives the current shape of the mosque.
Second Christian period:
It was from the 1489th century, after the reconquest of the region by the Catholics, that the mosque began to be used as a Catholic temple. It was not until XNUMX that the first works to adapt the mosque began. The first construction that will be carried out there is the large Chapel which will later become the Chapel of Villaviciosa.
From 1523 the construction of the transept was undertaken. This lasted nearly 80 years. At the end of the XNUMXth century, the construction of the tower of the cathedral began, then that of the dome of the transept and finally the main altarpiece.
Several centuries later, in the XNUMXth and then in the XNUMXth centuries, renovations were undertaken such as that of the mihrab, the bell tower or, more recently, that of the transept and the choir.
Visit the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba: tickets, prices, timetables and guided tour
Now that you know more about the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba and its history, let's move on to the "visit" part, the purchase of tickets, guided tours, times and prices to visit the Mosque-Cathedral.
How to visit the Mosque-Cathedral?
Several formulas are possible for you to visit the mosque-cathedral.
- Single visit:
First of all, you can go there on the day of your visit and buy entry tickets at the ticket office. These are on sale for €10 per person. Be careful, depending on the time of visit you have chosen, you may have to wait a while in front of the sales counter.
Once you have your ticket, you can then either go to the main entrance of the mezquita, or go through the audio guide desk to rent one for the duration of the visit. This will cost you 3€.
If you also want to visit the bell tower, then you will need a second ticket on sale at another ticket office for €2. - Guided tour :
It is interesting to look at the guided tours offered. These will have the advantage of being purchased online, without queuing. You will also benefit from a guide who will provide you with all the historical facts of the mosque-cathedral.
Unlike other places, such as the Alhambra, guided tours of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba have the particularity of being offered at a price very close to non-guided tours. Indeed these are at 16-20€ when the entrance to the mosque-cathedral + bell tower + audio guide will cost you 15€.
It is also possible to combine the guided visit of the mosque-cathedral with a visit to the Jewish quarter, for example, or other visits to the city.
Entrance fees for the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
- Entrance to the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba: €10
- Audioguide : 3€
- Entry to the bell tower: €2
- Guided tour: between €16 and €25
What are the visiting hours of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba?
The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is open all year round.
- From March to October:
Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 19 p.m.
Sunday and religious holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 15 p.m. to 19 p.m. - From November to February:
Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 18 p.m.
Sunday and religious holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 15 p.m. to 18 p.m.
How long does it take to visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba?
Allow a good two hours to visit the mosque-cathedral, the courtyard of the orange trees and the bell tower.
Course of the visit to the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
The visit to the entire Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is divided into 3 parts.
The visit of the main building:
The visit begins with the huge main building that is the mosque-cathedral. It is here that you will find the famous arches and pillars that made the reputation of this mosque-cathedral. By entering this one, you cannot go wrong, you are in a mosque. Many wall calligraphy, chandeliers or openings reminiscent of the Islamic style. Style found in many places in Andalusia such as the Alhambra or the Alcazar of Seville.
Continuing your visit to this place and after walking along its walls, you will reach the center to suddenly change place, era and find yourself in the middle of a real cathedral with its stained glass windows, its dome, its altarpiece and his heart. A surprising visit!
The visit of the courtyard of the orange trees:
The courtyard of the orange trees is none other than the old courtyard of the mosque. It is now planted with orange trees (hence its name), palm trees and cypresses. It is accessible free of charge and without a ticket.
Visiting the bell tower:
The bell tower replaces the old minaret, the remains of which you can see. From the top of this tower, you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the courtyard but also of the mosque-cathedral and will be able to understand a little more about its design and organization. You will also contemplate the imposing bells that are there.
My opinion on the visit to the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba
The visit to the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is truly the number 1 must-see in Cordoba and a must for any road trip in Andalusia. The set is impressive by its dimensions but also by its mixture of style. A guided tour of the mosque-cathedral is a plus to fully understand the atypical history of this place.
