Page 59 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

THE HIST OR Y OF SP AIN  57

Where to See Moorish Spain
The finest Moorish buildings are in
Andalucía, mainly in the cities of Cór doba
(see pp484–5) and Granada (see pp492–8).
Almería (see p505) has a large, ruined
alcazaba (castle). In Jaén (see p499) there
are Moorish baths. Further north, in
Zaragoza, is the castle-palace of La
Aljafería (see p241).

The East Wall of Córdoba’s Mezquita
Wealth and artistic brilliance were lavished on
mosques, especially in Córdoba (see pp486–7).
Moorish arches were a major design element.

Torre del Homenaje, the
keep, was built by Abd al
Rahman I (756–88).
Baths
Medina Azahara (see p483), sacked in the
11th century but partly restored, was the
final residence of Córdoba’s caliphs.

Moorish Flask
A fine example of Moorish
craftsman ship, this Umayyad
dynasty flask dates from
the 10th century.
Patio with
Moorish
decoration

Alcazaba at Málaga
An alcazaba was a castle built into the Tariq ibn Ziyad
ramparts of a Moorish city, often protected This Berber general,
by massive concentric walls. In Málaga a member of the
(see p480) – the principal port of the Moorish Umayyad Caliphate,
kingdom of Granada – the vast Alcazaba was the leader of the
was built in the 8–11th centuries on the site Moorish forces that
of a Roman fortress, and incorpor ated conquered Southern
massive curtain walls and fortified gates. Spain in 711.

976 Al Mansur, military
905 Emergent dictator, usurps caliphal 1010 Medina Azahara
Navarra becomes powers and sacks sacked by Berbers
Christian kingdom Barcelona. Córdoba
under Sancho I Mezquita finished
850 900 950 1000
936 Building of Medina 1013 Caliphate of
Azahara palace starts Córdoba breaks up.
913 Christian near Córdoba Emergence of taifas:
capital is small, independent
established Bronze deer from Moorish kingdoms
at León Medina Azahara

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