CHURCHES Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned The Cathederal of St Mary the Crowned is built on the site of what used to be a very beautiful and richly decorated mosque. After the Christians drove the Moors from the Rock in 1462 the mosque was used as a church until the Spanish King Ferdinand and his wife Isabella decreed that it be stripped of its Islamic past and be enlarged. They donated the bells and clock for the 100 ft tower, which remain to this day. Their coat of arms was placed in the courtyard where it can still be seen. The courtyard was four times its present size and contained an orange grove surrounded by cloisters. The church itself extended to the opposite side of what is now Main Street. During the Great Siege, the church suffered extensive damage, and despite attempts to rebuild it little progress was made. In 1790, Governor Boyd offered his assistance in return for a third of the land, which enabled him to re-route Main Street. An on-going after affect of this loss of ground is that mortal remains are frequently uncovered during routine excavations of the road outside. During the recent beautification of Main Street the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned
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