Medieval History
The great mosque of Córdoba was begun by the Muslim caliphs in the eighth century, its forest of pillars and red-and-white striped arches meant to convey a powerful sense of the infinite. With the Christian reconquest of Spain in the 13th century, it was consecrated as a cathedral.
Today, signs throughout this whitewashed Andalusian city refer to the monument, a Unesco World Heritage site, as the ?mosque-cathedral? of Córdoba. But that terminology is now in question. Last month, the bishop of Córdoba began a provocative appeal for the city to stop referring to the monument as a mosque so as not to ?confuse? visitors.
For now, the matter is largely semantic because the mayor says the city will not change its signs. But the debate goes far beyond signs. It is the latest chapter in the rich history of the most emblematic monument in Christian-Muslim relations in Europe ? and a tussle over the legacy of ?Al Andalus,? when part of Spain, under the Muslim caliphs, was a place of complex coexistence among Muslims, Christians and Jews.
Click here to read this article from the New York Times
- Two Poets From Medieval Spain
The great medieval Jewish poets of Spain are part and parcel of our Jewish heritage; names like Dunash ibn Labrat, Solomon ibn Gabirol, Moses ibn Ezra, Samuel Hanagid and Yehuda Halevi immediately come to mind. However, it comes as no surprise that all...
- Medieval Mosque Discovered In Oman
Oman's Heritage and Culture Ministry announced that the Omani-French Exploration Expedition managed to unearth new archeological findings for Qalhat city. The findings highlight the historic and economic role played by Qalhat during the Medieval Ages....
- Restoring 'lost City' Of Medieval Spain
It has been 100 years since excavations started on the Madinat Al Zahra, the magnificent 10th century palace city near Cordoba in southern Spain. Although only 11% of the city - built by the powerful caliph Abd Al Rahman III - has been uncovered,...
- Bbc Radio Series Examines The Medieval History Of Christianity And Islam
BBC World Service has started a new radio series called Crescent and the Cross, which examines the history of Christianity and Islam. Hosted by Owen Bennett Jones, this four part series will be aired each week on the BBC World Service, and will be posted...
- And Diverse Are Their Hues: Color In Islamic Art And Culture?
Scholars from around the world will explore the many uses of color in Islamic art and culture during the Third Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art on Nov. 2-4 in Cordoba, Spain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important center of...
Medieval History
Cordoba: Name Debate Echoes an Old Clash of Faiths
The great mosque of Córdoba was begun by the Muslim caliphs in the eighth century, its forest of pillars and red-and-white striped arches meant to convey a powerful sense of the infinite. With the Christian reconquest of Spain in the 13th century, it was consecrated as a cathedral.
Today, signs throughout this whitewashed Andalusian city refer to the monument, a Unesco World Heritage site, as the ?mosque-cathedral? of Córdoba. But that terminology is now in question. Last month, the bishop of Córdoba began a provocative appeal for the city to stop referring to the monument as a mosque so as not to ?confuse? visitors.
For now, the matter is largely semantic because the mayor says the city will not change its signs. But the debate goes far beyond signs. It is the latest chapter in the rich history of the most emblematic monument in Christian-Muslim relations in Europe ? and a tussle over the legacy of ?Al Andalus,? when part of Spain, under the Muslim caliphs, was a place of complex coexistence among Muslims, Christians and Jews.
Click here to read this article from the New York Times
- Two Poets From Medieval Spain
The great medieval Jewish poets of Spain are part and parcel of our Jewish heritage; names like Dunash ibn Labrat, Solomon ibn Gabirol, Moses ibn Ezra, Samuel Hanagid and Yehuda Halevi immediately come to mind. However, it comes as no surprise that all...
- Medieval Mosque Discovered In Oman
Oman's Heritage and Culture Ministry announced that the Omani-French Exploration Expedition managed to unearth new archeological findings for Qalhat city. The findings highlight the historic and economic role played by Qalhat during the Medieval Ages....
- Restoring 'lost City' Of Medieval Spain
It has been 100 years since excavations started on the Madinat Al Zahra, the magnificent 10th century palace city near Cordoba in southern Spain. Although only 11% of the city - built by the powerful caliph Abd Al Rahman III - has been uncovered,...
- Bbc Radio Series Examines The Medieval History Of Christianity And Islam
BBC World Service has started a new radio series called Crescent and the Cross, which examines the history of Christianity and Islam. Hosted by Owen Bennett Jones, this four part series will be aired each week on the BBC World Service, and will be posted...
- And Diverse Are Their Hues: Color In Islamic Art And Culture?
Scholars from around the world will explore the many uses of color in Islamic art and culture during the Third Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art on Nov. 2-4 in Cordoba, Spain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important center of...