The Door of Forgiveness

The first historical reference to the construction of the so-called Puerta del Perdón comes from the inscription that decorates the pointed access arch. Although it is incomplete, it can be clearly understood: “… in the month of March of the era of Caesar one thousand four hundred and fifteen / years reigni[n]g the most high and power[ful] Don Enrique, King of Castile and son of the most high King Don Alfonso…“. The works were completed in March 1377, and were closely followed by Enrique II himself, who bore the entire cost. The monarch’s interest was attested to and immortalized with his coat of arms, placed on the spandrels of the entrance arch.

An Entrance Conceived as an Architectural Ensemble

Unlike other entrances of the Mezquita-Catedral, the Puerta del Perdón was not conceived merely as a portal, but as a whole ensemble. Formed by two slightly horseshoe-shaped arches, one exterior decorated with plasterwork and another parallel interior arch that leads to the Courtyard of the Orange Trees, the interior space was designed to house the doors when open.

This same central space was covered in the 17th century by a brick dome. In the mid-18th century, under Bishop Don Pedro de Salazar y Góngora, the ceiling was decorated with rich plaster moldings featuring floral motifs, highlighting the bishop’s coat of arms, along with four roundels with the images of the four evangelists located in the pendentives; a lantern was erected at the center.

From the 14th Century to Its Current Appearance

The first record we have of the Puerta del Perdón dates from the 14th century, but its current appearance is from a 17th-century renovation.

The original 14th-century portal has not been preserved, as it underwent several renovations; however, various descriptions have reached us, such as the one by Ambrosio de Morales in the 16th century: “…the arch is Moorish with projections over the uprights, so that the semicircle is lost and it becomes a full circle as we see in many Gothic and Moorish arches. The doors are covered in bronze… All the ornamentation of the portal is finely crafted stucco, and at the top are six columns forming five niches, where now there are painted images…“.

Nieto Cumplido notes that Ambrosio de Morales does not mention the blind niches with lobed arches that develop along the pillars flanking the Puerta del Perdón, nor the small arches that were then placed—though no longer—above the five mentioned ones, following the design of the old Muslim minaret. The original portal was crowned by a large overhanging roof supported by corbels.

The Great Renovation of the 17th Century

The current appearance of the Puerta del Perdón is the result of a renovation led by Sebastián Vidal in the mid-17th century. Vidal preserved the pointed arch but removed two of the five blind lobed arches described by Ambrosio de Morales, as well as all the small arches built in the style of the Muslim minaret.

Instead, he built a large slightly lowered semicircular relieving arch, supported by the two large pillars, enclosing the three surviving lobed arches from the 14th century. Above this arch, he created a large classical frieze decorated with triglyphs, in the center of which is a sculptural representation of “God the Father“.

The Bronze Doors

The doors measure almost 10 meters high and two meters wide each. Made of pinewood covered in bronze sheets, they bear two inscriptions commemorating the renovation works during the time of Bishop Don Pedro Salazar y Góngora: “rebuilt / year / 1739“.

The Paintings in the Arches

Regarding the fresco paintings housed inside the three lobed arches, they initially depicted “The Virgin Mary” in the center, and “Saint Lawrence” and “Saint Stephen” on the sides. In the mid-16th century, the two saints were replaced with the archangels “Saint Michael” and “Saint Raphael“, and the central one with “The Assumption of the Virgin Mary“, all attributed to the Cordoban painter Antonio del Castillo.

Luis María de las Casas Deza refers to the paintings housed in the niches of the pilasters, which no longer exist today, commenting that in the foreground were represented “Saint Peter” and “Saint Paul“, and above them, “Saint Acisclus” and “Saint Victoria“, patron saints of the city.

Visiting the Puerta del Perdón

If you’re wondering what to visit in Córdoba, the best option would be the Mezquita-Catedral, choosing one of our guided tours. That way, you can learn everything about the Puerta del Perdón. Choosing quality tourism means choosing ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.