The Moors from North Africa invaded parts of Spain from 711 AD until the fall of Granada in 1492. With them, they brought along their Islamic religion and culture and ruled Spain for over 700 years. The Moorish influence remains evidently profound in many cities of Spain. Among them, we would like to highlight a few sites that holds great importance to Islamic heritage. The Alhambra, Granada The Alhambra, is derived from the Arabic al-Qalʻat al-Ḥamrā (meaning the Red Castle) in Arabic is a palace and fortress located in Granada Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar, aka Mohammed I of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. After the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella and the palaces were partially altered in the Renaissance style. Its architecture and interiors are imprinted with beautiful Arabic scripts and poems. The building is like a book of wisdom constantly communicating to every visitor who wishes to be enlightened. This 8th century old site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. To find out about the scripts of Alhambra, have a read of our postings on ´Reading Alhambra´ The Great Mosque of Córdoba The Great Mosque of Córdoba was built in 784 by Abd al-Rahman I, the Cordoba caliphate at the time. The mosque continued its expansion over the years by the caliphs. It held a place of importance amongst the Islamic community of al-Andalus for over three centuries. In Córdoba, the capital, the Mosque was seen as the heart and central focus of the
The Moors from North Africa invaded parts of Spain from 711 AD until the fall of Granada in 1492. With them, they brought along their Islamic religion and culture and ruled Spain for over 700 years. The Moorish influence remains evidently profound in many cities of Spain. Among them, we would like to highlight a
Best places of Spain to inmerse in Islamic History For a Muslim who has some familiarity with Islamic history in the Iberian Peninsula, a visit to Spain is almost like a pilgrimage. In the era of the Golden Age of our civilisation extending from early 8th to late 15thcentury, coincidental with Dark Ages in the rest of Europe, when Al Andalus was the centre of global civilisation. Its capital Cordoba was Europe's largest city. Greatest Islamic heritage of spain is located here in the south, Andalusia: Granada (Gharnata) and Cordoba (Qurtaba). Alhambra Palaces When you hear the name Alhambra, somehow the name itself gives you a certain excitement, as the place seems mystical and adventurous. Who would not be in awe of such an amazing place that’s rich in history and culture? The best thing is that it was influenced by various civilizations, especially the Muslim civilization. Just to prove to you how important Alhambra is, I’ll give you a short overview of its history. According to historical documents, in the year 889, Sawwar ben Hemdun needed to seek refuge in a fortress called Alcazaba, which Muslims then had to rebuild due to the struggles that had taken place. The castle then soon turned into a military fortress due to its strategic position as it overlooked the whole city. When the first King of the Nasrid dynasty administered Cordoba, he then established the royal residence in Alhambra. Yusuf I and Mohamed V are the ones responsible for most of the construction in Alhambra that still remains until today. However, when Cordoba fell into the hands of the Catholics, Charles V wanted to rebuild parts of the castle in his name and therefore built several new areas such as the Emperor’s Chambers and the Queen’s Dressing Room. There are so many
Best places of Spain to inmerse in Islamic History For a Muslim who has some familiarity with Islamic history in the Iberian Peninsula, a visit to Spain is almost like a pilgrimage. In the era of the Golden Age of our civilisation extending from early 8th to late 15thcentury, coincidental with Dark Ages in the
