Al-Andalus: Andalusia When It Was...

[Saif al-Arab]

Aljafería

Aljafería
UNESCO World Heritage site

Location Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Part of Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Criteria Cultural: (iv)
Reference 378
Inscription 1986 (10th Session)
Extensions 2001
Coordinates

41°39′23″N 0°53′48″WCoordinates:

41°39′23″N 0°53′48″W

The Aljafería Palace (Spanish: Palacio de la Aljafería; Arabic: قصر الجعفرية‎, tr. Qasr al-Jaʿfariya) is a fortified medieval Islamic palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Taifa of Zaragoza of Al-Andalus, present day Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir after abolishing Banu Tujibi of Kindah dynasty. The palace reflects the splendor attained by the kingdom of the taifa of Zaragoza at the height of its grandeur. The palace currently contains the Cortes (regional parliament) of the autonomous community of Aragon.[1]

The structure holds unique importance in that it is the only conserved testimony of a large building of Spanish Islamic architecture of the era of the Taifas (independent kingdoms). So, a magnificent example of the Caliphate of Córdoba, its Mosque (10th century), and the Alhambra of Granada in Al-Andalus must be included in the triad of the Hispano-Muslim architecture the Aljafería of Zaragoza (11th century) as an example of the realizations of the taifa art, in the intermediate time of independent kingdoms previous to the arrival of the Almorávides. The Mudéjar remains of the palace of the Aljafería were declared World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2001 as part of the "Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon" ensemble.[2]

The solutions adopted in the ornamentation of the Aljafería, such as the use of mixtilinear arcs and of the springers in «S», the extension of the arabesque in large surfaces or the outlining and progressive abstraction of the yeseria of vegetal character, influenced the Almoravid art and Almohad art both of the Magreb and of the Iberian peninsula. Also, the transition from decoration to more geometric motifs is at the base of Nasrid art.​

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aljafería

BTW congrats to our brothers in Al-Andalus.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Remains of ancient Arab city in Spain gets UNESCO heritage status

By AFP

Mon 02 Jul 2018 09:02 AM

The city was built as a symbol of power to rival the caliphate of Baghdad, but lasted less than a century before it was destroyed in an uprising

The remarkably well-preserved remains of the Caliphate city of Medina Azahara, a medieval Arab Muslim town near the Spanish city of Cordoba, was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites on Sunday.
The remarkably well-preserved remains of the Caliphate city of Medina Azahara, a medieval Arab Muslim town near the Spanish city of Cordoba, was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites on Sunday.

The 10th-century Moorish site provides "in-depth knowledge of the now vanished Western Islamic civilisation of Al-Andalus, at the height of its splendour," said UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in Bahrain.

After prospering for several years, the magnificent palace-city, which was the de facto capital of al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, "was laid to waste during the civil war that put an end to the Caliphate in 1009-10," the committee said in a statement.


The city was built as a symbol of power to rival the caliphate of Baghdad, but lasted less than a century before it was destroyed in an uprising which ended the Cordoba caliphate at the beginning of the 11th century.

Image: Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Site (CAMaZ)
The remains of the city were forgotten for almost 1,000 years until their rediscovery in the early 20th century.

The site is a treasure trove for archaeologists, presenting "a complete urban ensemble" including roads, bridges, water systems, buildings, decorative elements and everyday objects, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said.


A far more recent historical site was also added to UNESCO's Heritage list on Sunday.

The Italian industrial city of Ivrea, which was developed in the 20th century as a testing ground for Olivetti, manufacturer of typewriters, mechanical calculators and office computers, was also rewarded.

Image: Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Site (CAMaZ)
UNESCO described the city as "a model social project" expressing "a modern vision of the relationship between industrial production and architecture".

On Saturday the UNESCO heritage committee added six other sites to its list, including inuit hunting grounds in Greenland, ancient Korean mountain Buddhist temples, pre-Islamic sites in Iran, and Mumbai's Art Deco buildings.

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Last Updated: Mon 02 Jul 2018 09:24 AM GST

https://www.arabianbusiness.com/cul...rab-city-in-spain-gets-unesco-heritage-status

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

Back to the roots.

Beautiful.