STORIES IN STONE

In southern Spain, the majestic architecture tells a tale of two faiths.

- Nancy Lova

RIGHT MOSQUECATHEDRAL OF CÓRDOBA Córdoba was once the capital of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain. At this former mosque, which was built in the late 700s, I was attracted to the distinctive red and white stripes, an important element of Umayyad design. The building was converted into a Catholic church in 1236.

WHEN I TAKE photographs, I'm most often drawn to places steeped in culture and history. I find these things give depth, meaning, and context to my images, and a view of the world beyond surface-level aesthetics. I'm especially fascinated by the rich legacy of Al-Andalus, the nearly 800-year period of Islamic rule on the Iberian Peninsula. In what is now Spain, this began around the year 700 and lasted until 1492, when King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I unified the nation as a Catholic monarchy.