▲ 39 r/islamichistory
The Giralda of Seville Cathedral, a former minaret that still stands today
This tower was originally built as the minaret of the Great Mosque of Seville during the Almohad period in the 12th century. After the Christian conquest of Seville in 1248, the mosque was eventually replaced by the cathedral we see today, while much of the original minaret was preserved and adapted into a bell tower.
An interesting detail about the minaret is its interior design. Instead of conventional stairs, the tower features 35 wide, sloping ramps, originally built so that the mu’azzein مؤذن could ride a horse all the way to the top to call to prayer.
u/sophisticatedbloom — 5 days ago