ully adorned
with arabesques and inscriptions, the top of the dome being a large
white marble slab hollowed out in the form of a pecten shell. The wall
over the entrance is covered with texts from the Koran, forming an
elegant design, and on either side are niches of lesser merit, but
serving to set off the central one which formed the kiblah. Eleven
centuries have elapsed since the hands of the workmen left it, and
still it stands a witness of the pitch of art attained by the Berbers
in Spain.

It is said that here was deposited a copy of the Koran written by
Othman himself, and stained with his blood, of such a size that two
men could hardly lift it. When, for a brief period, the town fell into
the hands of Alfonso VII., his soldiers used the mosque as a stable,
and tore up this valuable manuscript. When a Moorish Embassy was sent
to Madrid some years ago, the members paid a visit to this relic of
the greatness of their forefathers, and to the astonishment of the
custodians, having returned to the court-yard to perform the required
ablutions, re-entered, slippers in hand, to go through the acts
of worship as naturally as if at home. What a strange sight for a
Christian cathedral! Right in front of the niche is a plain marble
tomb with no sign but a plain bar dexter. Evidently supposing this to
be the resting-place of some saint of their own persuasion, they made
the customary number of revolutions around it. It would be interesting
to learn from their lips what their impressions were.

Of the tower which once added to the imposing appearance of the
building, it is recorded that it had no rival in height known to the
builders. It was of stone, and, like one still standing in Baghdad
from the days of Harun el Rasheed, had two ways to the top, winding
one above the other, so that those who ascended by the one never met
those descending by the other. According to custom it was crowned
by three gilded balls, and it had fourteen windows. This was of
considerably later date than the mosque itself, but has long been a
thing of the past.

The European additions to the Cordova mosque are the choir, high
altar, etc., which by themselves would make a fine church, occupying
what must have been originally a charming court, paved with white
marble and enlivened by fountains; the tower, built over the main
entrance, opening into the Court of Oranges; and a score or two of
shrines with iron railings in front round the sides, conta