Mosque of Cristo de la Luz, Former mosque in Toledo, Spain
The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz is a former Islamic place of worship in Toledo, Spain, now serving as a chapel. The square building of stone and brick displays nine vaulted bays supported by four columns with Visigothic capitals, connected by horseshoe arches.
Ahmad Ibn Hadidi commissioned the building as Bab al-Mardum mosque in the year 999, when Toledo was still under Islamic rule. Following the conquest by King Alfonso VI in 1085, it was converted into a Christian chapel and later received a Romanesque apse.
The name comes from the Arabic Bab al-Mardum, meaning Gate of Mardum, referring to the nearby city gate. The Christian addition refers to a legend that a crucifix with a burning candle was found in the wall during the conquest of Toledo.
A visit usually takes no longer than 20 minutes, as the interior is relatively small. The building sits on a slight rise outside the old town, so allow some walking time to reach it.
Each of the nine ceiling vaults displays a different geometric pattern formed by interlocking arches and stars. This mathematical precision makes the building a rare example of 10th-century architecture in the Iberian Peninsula.
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