There are about 20 doors on the exterior of the Great Mosque leading into the 590 x 425 foot structure. The Puerta de Santa Catalina is on the east side and enters into the courtyard called the Patio of Oranges (Patio de los Naranjos). The portal was designed by Hernán Ruiz II and finished in 1573, a few years after the master of Spanish Renaissance architecture died. The Door of Santa Catalina features four columns with Corinthian capitals, a bishop’s shield between the arch and frieze and three frescos by Antonio del Castillo. The center painting represents the gate’s namesake, Saint Catherine of Alexandra. Originally, this doorway was near the Convent of Santa Catalina. The saint was martyred for her Christian beliefs in 305.
