Arches Pillars of Mezquita, Cordoba, Spain - stock photo

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba also known as the Great Mosque of Cordoba and the Mezquita located in the Spanish region of Andalusia. The structure is regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture. The building is most notable for its arcaded hypostyle hall, with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite. The double arches were a new introduction to architecture, permitting higher ceilings than would otherwise be possible with relatively low columns. The famous alternating red and white voussoirs of the arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch.