ABSTRACT
The Mosque of Cordoba, which dates from the 8th century, is a magnificent piece of Moorish architecture, in which light plays a major role in the transformation of space. In the case of Granada Cathedral, the building responded magisterially at each stage in its construction, without any break in continuity. Although light is one of the main elements used in describing and defining space, in the field of architectural restoration it seems that practitioners did not until very recently realise the importance of establishing, understanding and respecting the authenticity of the light in a historical building. Europe’s approach to its architectural inheritance in the 18th century was, in fact, rather similar to its approach to governance – i.e. that of an “enlightened despotism”. Francesco Borromini’s work on the ancient Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome, in 1646, is another outstanding example of how an existing space can be manipulated by changing its lighting.
