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Originally the whole design of the mosque would have directed worshippers naturally towards the mihrab . Today, though, you almost stumble upon it, for in the centre of the mosque squats a Renaissance cathedral coro . This was built in 1523 - nearly three centuries of enlightened restraint after the Christian conquest - and in spite of fierce opposition from the town council. The erection of a coro and capilla mayor , however, had long been the "Christianizing" dream of the cathedral chapter and at last they had found a monarch - predictably Carlos V - who was willing to sanction the work. Carlos, to his credit, realized the mistake (though it did not stop him from destroying parts of the Alhambra and Sevilla's Alcazar); on seeing the work completed he told the chapter, "You have built what you or others might have built anywhere, but you have destroyed something that was unique in the world." To the left of the coro stands an earlier and happier Christian addition - the Mudejar Capilla de Villaviciosa , built by Moorish craftsmen in 1371 (and now partly sealed up). Beside it are the dome and pillars of the earlier mihrab , constructed under Abd ar-Rahman II. The belfry , at the corner of the Patio de los Naranjos, is contemporary with the cathedral addition. If it's open after restoration, the climb is a dizzying experience and the views over the Mezquita and town are tremendous. Close by, the Puerta del Perdon , the main entrance to the patio, was rebuilt in Moorish style in 1377. Original "caliphal" decoration (in particular some superb latticework), however, can still be made out in the gates along the east and west sides of the mosque.
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