Upon conquering Valencia in 1238, James The First attempted to convert the former Islamic downtown into a Christian city by granting the ownership of all mosques and Muslim cemeteries to the archbishop of Tarragona, Pedro de Albalat. On the site of one of those mosques, placed in a commercial district, Saint Catherine’s Church was built. Even after the conquest though, replacing a mosque with the church didn't change the vibrant character of the neighbourhood that surrounds the temple. Built between 1300-1371, this Gothic work became the most important place of worship in the city after the Cathedral, both of which were the only churches in Valencia with three naves and an ambulatory. In the mid-20th century an important restoration project was undertaken, removing all Renaissance and Baroque additions to the interior and restoring the church to its original gothic design.