The plant and distribution Almohad Mosque, the symbol of Al-Andalus, still in force today in the Cathedral of Seville, which makes it unique compared to other cathedrals and churches in Gothic style.
The Almohad Empire absorbed in Seville in 1151, which began a period of cultural and social flourishing to the city of the Guadalquivir. To bolster the Islamic rule over the region, the caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf ordered the construction of a large mosque on land currently occupied by the Christian cathedral. From March 1172 to April 1198, artisans and laborers of all classes collaborated in building the complex, which opened despite not being completed in 1182.
Ahmad Ben Baso, from Andalusia, renowned architect, was commissioned to erect the mosque. He followed the example of Buhayra palaces, which he himself had built. To the mosque, designed a rectangular 113 x 135 meters, with an area of over 15,000 m². The seventeen ships that was articulated was adorned with horseshoe arches. The mosque, which was accessed by the current Forgiveness Gate, on the south side, housed the extensive garden area now known as Patio de los Naranjos.
The capture of Seville by the Christian troops of King Ferdinand III of Castile, in November 1248, caused a radical change in the metropolis and the Mosque of Seville was no exception, as it was adapted for use in the Catholic liturgy. In this state it remained until the second half of the thirteenth century, when the project began to tear it down. The great earthquake of 1356 badly damaged the structure of the old Almohad mosque. Still, no projects were submitted for replacement. He was still in the habit of using the mosques in conquered cities as venues for Christian worship, but the tradition fell into disuse in the late thirteenth century. Finally, in 1401 the structure of the new cathedral was designed.
The Sevillian tradition attributes the canons, in deciding the erection of the new cathedral, said: “Let’s so beautiful and so great that those who see it carved church we are mad” and according to the minutes of that day capitulate new developments should be “a just as good, there is no other like her.” The following year work began, the original factory opened in 1506. Alonso Martinez was, in all probability, the author of the original plans, to 1386. Charles Gauter of Rouen directed the work between 1439 and 1448. In the last stage construction, to the late fifteenth century, the office of grand master took Alonso Rodriguez.
The Gothic church was much larger and majestic than planned. The builders did significant chapter to the original design changes. Initially, it was thought to bring down the Giralda, the symbol of the Arab mosque, known as the oldest cathedral in 1480- up -datado says. The idea was scrapped and instead, decided to adapt as the Giralda bell tower. Construction began at the foot of the temple, at the corner of the chapel of San Laureano, respecting the eastern part where the royal chapel was. The work achieved in 1432, the portion of the header. The original project included a double ambulatory, like the Cathedral of Toledo, but gave up the construction by the opposition of the royal household to the transfer of the royal chapel. Was placed in a rectangular nave instead transversal separating the transept of the Chapel Royal.
