This initiative emerges as a different proposal from the official version, which, according to the Mezquita-Catedral Platform, "conceals its Andalusian identity in tourist brochures and other audiovisual media." The new tool proposes a narrative interpretation of the monumental complex that is more aligned with the values declared by UNESCO in 1984, when it was included in the World Heritage list as an "exceptional example of Islamic and Andalusian architecture in the West."
“"The Cathedral Chapter, however, has insisted in recent decades on erasing its Andalusian footprint to exclusively highlight its Catholic features."
The audio guide, the result of two years of research and production, is structured into ten chapters, an introduction, and a bonus track with the UNESCO declaration. It accompanies visitors through the primitive Mosque of Abd al-Rahman I, the Mihrab and the Maqsura, the naves of Almanzor, and the Catholic transept erected in the heart of the Islamic temple in the 16th century.
Among the episodes it addresses are the history behind the myth of the Basilica of San Vicente and the dispute between the Catholic Church and the Córdoba City Council in 1523, when the latter opposed the destruction of part of the Mosque to build the Christian Cathedral. It also explores why the splendid Mihrab of Al Hakam II was hidden for four centuries and the reason why bishops closed almost all the arches of the Patio de los Naranjos, negatively impacting the monument's natural light. The controversial ecclesiastical registration of the Mosque-Cathedral and the illegal removal of the northern wall's latticework are other topics covered.
The Free Audio Guide of the Mosque of Córdoba was supervised by a historian, who, during its presentation, described it as a response to an official version he considers "distorted in favor of the Christian building over the Islamic one." The historian argued that, although the Mosque continues to be a building of religious use, this use must respect history and truth.
Its development involved professionals such as voice actors, an artist for the image, and a lutenist for the soundtrack. The voiceovers were recorded in the summer of 2025. The audio tour is available online and for download via the Mezquita Catedral Platform website, YouTube, Spotify, and other general applications, although a promotional campaign at the monument itself has not yet been planned.
