Contested cultural heritage: the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
Main Article Content
Vol. 56 No. 1 (2017), Articles, pages 322-343
Submitted: Feb 17, 2016
Accepted: Apr 16, 2016
Published: May 2, 2017
Abstract
Cordoba, Spain is currently the center of a dispute over its most highly recognizable symbol: the Mosque-Cathedral. Built for Islamic worship, consecrated as a Catholic church in the 13th Century this temple is protected as cultural heritage representing an outstanding architectural legacy of al-Andalus. Contemporary conflicts have revolved around the Diocese of Cordoba’s controversial registration of the Mosque-Cathedral as their property, along with the discursive strategies Church authorities have used to claim the site, by which the Muslim legacy of the building has almost disappeared in visitor information. These strategies clash with its designation of universal cultural heritage, unfolding contradictions that deserve academic scrutiny. Current interpretations of the history of Spain, especially in relation to al-Andalus, are explored in relation to the origins, trajectory, and public character of heritage. In this context, we explore connections to the recent controversy surrounding conflicting discourses over the meaning and value of the Mosque-Cathedral.
Keywords:
cultural heritage, discourse, cultural values, Mosque-Cathedral, Córdoba
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How to Cite
Jover Báez, J., & Rosa, B. (2017). Contested cultural heritage: the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. Cuadernos Geográficos, 56(1), 322–343. Retrieved from https://revistaseug.ugr.es/index.php/cuadgeo/article/view/4027