All your cathedrals are belong to us

Cathedral of Cordoba

You might think that almost eight centuries of continuous use and control would be enough to establish title to real property, but in the case of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Cordoba, you would be wrong.

For more than 15 centuries ownership of the cathedral's site has been determined by conquest.  A Catholic basilica established on the site in the 5th century AD by Visigoth invaders was replaced in the 8th century by Moorish invaders, who thereupon began construction of the Great Mosque.  In 1236, once the Moors had been driven out of Cordoba, the mosque was converted into a church, and has remained so ever since.   This may be about to change due to an alliance between Muslims and anti-church Spanish politicians  which seeks to place the cathedral under public ownership.  This change of ownership, if it comes to pass, will also be due to conquest, but this time it will be a cultural conquest rather than a military one.

Explanation of this post's title here.

Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.