Google 'loses' Córdoba Mosque

Church quietly takes over historical sites throughout the country

Breathtaking columned hall
of the Mosque

CÓRDOBA -- One of Spain's, and the world's, most visited sites, the Cathedral-Mosque in Córdoba, suffered the indignity of not being properly named by the world's most-used websites. Google Maps, who had called it the Cathedral-Mosque for years, 'downgraded' the fabulous building to a mere cathedral. The official title given it by Córdoba Council in the mid-1990s was changed. Uproar. A temple built by the Omeya Califate that became a Roman Catholic bishop's headquarters in 1239 went back to normal by Tuesday. Behind all this, though, is a much more important issue: for years the Church in Córdoba has been trying to have the word Mosque removed from its official title. In more recent documents, including posters and even access tickets (see photo below), the word has been eliminated, according to reports. This would simply erase an absolutely unique piece of universal architecture that brings together not only the art of Al-Andalus but also that of the Gothic period, the Rennaisance and of the Baroque. The Cathedral-Mosque was granted the title of World Heritage Site by UNESCO as far back as 1984.

A ticket, and
no sign of the Mosque

This historical revision being carried out by the Catholic Church has the magnificent columned hall as mere 'Muslim intervention', thus giving the hideous black Baroque Cathedral built in the middle more importance. A year ago a lobbying group was set up to defend it from the encroachment.

However, behind these attempts by the Church is something even more ominous: it has quietly been taking possession of churches and other historical sites thanks to a law that apparently allows it -- political implications included. (This is being written up as another, important item for this site.)