Giralda Tower, Seville (former mosque minaret)

Timeline

1. 1184–1198Great Mosque of Seville · SevilleArchitect Ahmad ibn Baso oversaw construction of the square brick tower, with 35 internal ramps for the muezzin to ascend and call to prayer, its exterior decorated with sebka geometric openwork and colored glazed brick, a pinnacle of Almohad architecture.
2. 1248–1300Seville Cathedral · SevilleAfter Ferdinand III's conquest the mosque was converted into a cathedral; the minaret's structure was retained and a belfry added, becoming a symbol of the city's Christianity and showing the conquerors' reuse rather than wholesale destruction of Islamic architectural heritage.
3. 1331–1340Giralda Tower, Seville Cathedral · SevilleUnder Alfonso XI the Giralda continued to serve as the bell tower of Seville Cathedral; its height and distinctive silhouette dominated the skyline, drawing the attention of pilgrims and merchants, becoming the most conspicuous cultural symbol of Andalusia's Christianization.