Mosque of las Tornerías Facts for Kids

Prayer hall on the mosque's upper floor

The Mezquita de las Tornerías is an old mosque in Toledo, Spain. It was built by the Moors around the middle of the 11th century. The mosque stands on top of old Roman buildings. It is located in a historic Muslim area called Arrabal de Francos. Today, this building is home to the "Center Foundation of Promotion of the Crafts." You can visit it and see different art and craft exhibitions there.

This building remained an Islamic place of worship even after Christian armies, led by Alfonso VI of León and Castile, took over Toledo in 1085. It stayed a mosque until about 1498–1505. Then, the Catholic Monarchs changed it from a religious building to a regular one. After that, it was used for many different things. In 1505, it became an inn. Later, it was used for various businesses, small factories, or even as a home. People forgot its history until the late 1800s. Historians were not sure if it was a synagogue or a mosque. After careful study, on March 15, 1905, it was officially announced to the Real Academia de la Historia that it was indeed an old Arab mosque.

What Makes It Special
- Inside the Mosque
- How It Was Built
When Was It Built?
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What Makes It Special

This mosque was built on top of ancient Roman tanks that stored drinking water for the city. The ground where it stands is very uneven. This allowed the builders to create a unique two-story design.

Inside the Mosque

You can enter the ground floor from Tornerías street. This floor opens up to the Roman water tanks, which have rounded arches made of granite. The upper floor was the main prayer area. Here, you can still see parts of the mihrab, which is a special niche that shows the direction of Mecca. You can also see parts of the qibla wall, which is the wall that faces Mecca.

How It Was Built

The Mezquita de las Tornerías was built in a similar style to another important mosque in Toledo, the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz. That mosque was built in the 10th century. The Mezquita de las Tornerías has an irregular square shape. Inside, it has nine square sections, just like the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz. These sections are covered by special brick domes. The dome in the middle is especially important because it has unique ribs. The building also features horseshoe arches resting on short columns with large, decorative tops called capitals.

When Was It Built?

Historians are not completely sure about the exact date this mosque was built. Some think it was constructed in the second half of the 11th century. Others believe it might have been built later, in the second half of the 12th century.