Umayyad Period, The Great Mosque of Cordoba, Late 8th - Early 10th c. A. D. (slides 5, 6, 7) The governors of Andalusia chose Cordoba as the site of their capital and the Great Mosque of Cordoba was the first public structure they commissioned. In these images, you can see the floorplan of the mosque along with exterior and interior views of the building. The floorplan (slide 5) indicates features common to a mosque, a building of worship in the Islamic faith. The mosque contains a mihrab, or a prayer niche, which is built into the qibla, or the wall facing Mecca. This is so all Muslims praying in the mosque will be facing Mecca. The interior of the mosque in Cordoba (slide 6) is famous for its bi-colored stone arches, a feature unique in all of early Islamic architecture. Following the city's reconquest by Christian forces, the mosque fell under Christian patronage and was converted into a Church. Interestingly, the chapel (as seen in slide 7) was literally inserted into the middle of the mosque. Back to slides