He began to build the mosque in the year 785, appropriation and reuse of materials from the schiavile basilica of San Vicente Mártir, which was in place by the Muslim conquerors. The resulting building underwent expansions during the Cordoba Emirate and Caliphate of Córdoba. With 23 400 square meters, was the second largest mosque in the world in surface, behind the mosque in Mecca, being only reached later by the Blue Mosque (Istanbul, 1588). One of its main characteristics is that its wall of the qibla was not oriented towards Mecca, but 51 ° degrees further South, something common in the mosques of al - Andalus.
In 1238, after it Reconquista Christian of it city, is led to out his consecration as Cathedral of the diocese with it management episcopal of its first bishop, Lope of Fitero.4 the building houses the cabildo Cathedral of the Diocese of Cordoba, being prohibited any cult collective or prayer organized not catolico.5 in 1523, low it address of them architects Hernan Ruiz the old man and his son, built the Renaissance cruciform basilica in the plateresque style.
Today the whole is the most important monument of Córdoba, and also all the Andalusian architecture along with the Alhambra, as well as the most emblematic of the Spanish-Muslim Umayyad art. Declared interest cultural2 and Cultural heritage as part of the historic centre of the city, 6 are included among the 12 public treasures of Spain in 20077 and was awarded as the best tourist attractions in Europe and sixth in the world by a contest of TripAdvisor.8 by 2015 had 1.67 million visits which makes it one of the most visited monuments in Spain.
