“Art, literature and science prospered as they then prospered nowhere else in Europe…”
—Stanley Lane-Poole, 1854 – 1931, a British orientalist and archaeologist, in The Moors in Spain
“We, who are worth as much as you make you our King and Lord, as long as you keep our fueros and liberties, and if not, not.”
–Justice under the Christian King in Aragón (Justicia de Aragón)
Yes, I did say monochrome, didn’t I… we will get to that in a moment.
Spain, and the Arab Influence
The Arabs were in Spain for well over 700 years, from the early 700s to 1492*. That has definitely left an impression on Spain’s culture, food, habits–and even language.
Consider these words in Castillano: algebra (algebra), almohada (pillow), aceite (oil), aceituna (olive), azúcar (sugar), café (coffee), limón (lemon), albahaca (basil), adobe (adobe), ajedrez (chess), and many, many more. They all have their origin in the Arabic language.
Architecture is another area in which the Arabs/Moors/Muslims have left their mark on Spain, perhaps the Alhambra in Granada being one of the most spectacular historical examples.
But Zaragoza also has a nice piece of Moorish architecture worth visiting…
*1492–Columbus of course, yeah, but it was also the year in which Spain finally completed the Reconquista, or the removal of the Muslims and Jews from the peninsula.
The Aljafería Palace
This was built during the second half of the 11th century as a fortified medieval palace for the Muslim rulers. As the Reconquista progressed, in the 12th century, it became the residence of the Christian kings. It now houses the regional parliament, or Cortes, of the autonomous community of Aragón. The palace has been rebuilt, modified, partially destroyed, rebuilt again, and renovated over the centuries.
Says Wikipedia: “The structure is the only conserved large example of Spanish Islamic architecture from the era of the taifas (independent kingdoms). The Aljafería, along with the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba and the Alhambra, are the three best examples of Hispano-Muslim architecture and have special legal protection… The palace was built outside Zaragoza’s Roman walls, in the plain of the saría. With urban expansion over the centuries, it is now inside the city.”
I thought the monochrome treatment brought out the intricate patterns best, so I took the images through my go-to B&W plugin, DxO/Nik Silver Efex. All images made with the iPhone 15 Pro.
Arab Design and Architecture in Monochrome–Some Images from the Palace
It is fairly obvious where there is newer reconstruction of the walls and where some of the older (perhaps original?) work remains…
