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Illustration of Charles V as a middle-aged Habsburg emperor with a pale long face and short reddish-brown beard, in dark velvet, a black feathered cap and the gold chain of the Golden Fleece, standing among the red-and-white arches and hanging candle lamps of the Mezquita
Ruler Military Early modern1492–1808

Charles V

Lived 1500–1558 (about 58 years)

Also known as
Emperor Charles V, Carlos V, Charles V of Habsburg

Charles V was born in Ghent on 24 February 1500 and died at the Monastery of San Jerónimo de Yuste in Spain on 21 September 1558. He never rebuilt Córdoba, but one decision of his changed its skyline from the inside.

Work on a Renaissance nave inside the old mosque began in 1523 with his permission. That is why the Mezquita-Cathedral is a mosque with a cruciform church standing in its middle. Look up at the vault over the main altar: it carries an image of Charles V, with Mary at its centre. For the architects who carried the work forward, read about the Ruiz dynasty; for the building before the nave, see what the 1236 conversion actually looked like.

The remark often attributed to him on seeing the result is disputed, and the full account of the 1523 decision and its aftermath is in the full story.

The full story

Places to see

Interior of the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba with its iconic red-and-white arches and forest of columns
Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba
Horseshoe arches and double-tiered columns inside the Mezquita-Catedral of Córdoba
Moorish Architecture Tour

In their time

  1. Early modern

    1492–1808

    Córdoba's Jews were expelled in 1492 and the city settled into provincial life. The Mezquita's Renaissance nave was begun in 1523, and the arcades of Plaza de la Corredera date from the 17th century.

    1. Palacio de Orive

      1560 Monument

      Córdoba's finest Renaissance palace, designed by Hernán Ruiz II in 1560. Free courtyard, exhibition halls, and the only public gardens in the historic centre.

    2. Caballerizas Reales de Córdoba

      1568 Monument

      Philip II's 1568 Royal Stables, birthplace of the Andalusian horse. Evening show combining classical dressage, vaquera riding and flamenco. UNESCO heritage.

    3. Diego Rodríguez Lucero

      d. 1534 Historical figure

      Diego Rodríguez Lucero (d. 1534), inquisitor of Córdoba from 1499, fled a stormed Alcázar in 1506. See where his trace remains and read the full story.

    4. Luis de Góngora

      1561–1627 Historical figure

      Luis de Góngora, the Baroque poet born in Córdoba in 1561 and buried in the Mezquita-Catedral. Who he was and where to find his trace in Córdoba today.

    Undated

    1. Palacio Episcopal de Córdoba

      Monument

      Baroque palace facing the Mezquita, free with your entrance ticket. Diocesan Museum inside: 14 centuries of Córdoba art and a courtyard most visitors skip.

    2. Palacio de la Merced

      Monument

      18th-century baroque palace in Córdoba: former convent with gilded altarpieces, patios and Zurbarán paintings. Visits by written request, 15 days ahead.

    3. Palacio de Viana

      Monument

      Palacio de Viana, Córdoba: walk 12 Renaissance patios, a 7,000-volume library and Flemish tapestries. Tickets from €8.50, free entry Wednesdays 2 to 5pm.

    Go deeper

Read more

Interior of the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba with red-and-white striped horseshoe arches receding toward the gilded mihrab, warm amber light from above, the prayer hall empty and still, Córdoba mosque prayer ban
The Mezquita the Church Owns, and Muslims Can't Pray In
Mezquita-Catedral of Córdoba interior: red-and-white striped horseshoe arches of the original Islamic prayer hall receding into shadow, Renaissance cathedral nave visible at the back, photorealistic, golden-hour light
Is the Mezquita a Mosque or a Cathedral? Why It Has Three Names
Interior of the Villaviciosa chapel in the Mezquita-Catedral of Córdoba, a pointed Gothic nave in warm light beside the striped Islamic arches, villaviciosa chapel mezquita history 1880
The 1880 Repair That Revealed a Mosque Ceiling and Lost a Mural
Hernan Ruiz Cordoba architect composition at golden hour with Palacio de Orive's carved Renaissance arch in the foreground and the Mezquita bell tower beyond
The Ruiz Dynasty: Córdoba's Renaissance Architects