Glossary — The Great Mosque of Cordoba

Cordoba
the great mosque's city, at the heart of the land of al-Andalus
the Umayyads
the dynasty that began it, then enlarged it across two centuries
double arches
its famous double arches rising inside the great prayer hall
the mihrab
its gilded mihrab standing from the era of al-Hakam II
mosaics
its Byzantine mosaics made over backgrounds of blue and green
Abd al-Rahman I
the founder who began its building in the year 785
the forest of columns
its hundreds of standing columns, which resemble a forest of trees
the maqsura
its maqsura of interlaced stone ribs and small domes
stone and brick
its alternating red and white materials inside its famous arches
the minaret
its tower, which in later times became the cathedral's belfry
the enlargements
the successive caliphs' enlargements across two whole centuries
the cathedral
the church that grew up in its midst, centuries later

60-second explainer · Practice set