The Alhambra
Considered as one of the most famous examples of Islamic art, the Alhambra is the culmination and grand finale of medieval Islamic culture on the Iberian Peninsula.
Islamic Architecture of Andalusia
Spain’s Islamic centuries (AD 711-1492) left a particularly rich heritage of exotic and beautiful palaces, mosques, minarets and fortresses in Andalusia, which was always the heartland of Al-Andalus (as the Muslim- ruled areas of the Iberian Peninsula were known). These buildings make Andalusia visually unique in Europe and have to be classed as its greatest architectural glory.
Mosque of Cristo de la Luz
Built in 999 in Toledo, this building is a rarity in that it is in much the same state as it was when it was originally built. It is one of the few mosques…
Al-Andalus: The Orient in the West
In 711 the Arabs (in the Iberian Peninsula, “Arab” and “Muslim” are synonyms) arrived in the western-most territory of Mediterranean Europe. Within a short time, after very few battles and some sieges that were nearly all solved through negotiations, the Arabs provoked the collapse of the Visigothic Kingdom of Toledo, and incorporated what has since then been known as al-Andalus, the political territory under Muslim Arab dominance, into dar al-Islam.
The Alhamra at Granada
James Cavanah Murphy spent the last 12 years of his life preparing notes and drawings for a publication on this Moorish architecture. The resulting book, The Arabian Antiquities of Spain, was only partially…
The Alhambra – A Virtual Walking Tour
To understand the Alhambra you need to look at its history, location and surroundings. It is situated on the hill of Sabika, overlooking the city of Granada. Alhambra means, literately, “The Red” and…
Nasrid plasterwork: symbolism, materials & techniques
This article provides an introduction to traditional materials and techniques used in Nasrid plasterwork as well as explaining their style and symbolism.
Illustrations of Islamic Architecture
The Alhambra Granada, Spain Built chiefly in the 13th and 14th centuries The Alhambra (from the Arabic, Al Hamra, meaning The Red) is an ancient mosque, palace and fortress complex built by the…
Al-Andalus – The Alhambra
Al-Andalus (Arabic: الأندلس) was the Arabic name given to those parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Muslims, at various times in the period between 711 and 1492. It refers to the Umayyad…
The art of Islamic Spain
Written by Countess Patricia Christine Jellicoe The Alhambra, site of the first presentation of the exhibition “Al-Andalus: The Art of Islamic Spain,” has been an Orientalist fantasy since.. Washington Irving rediscovered it…
History of the Nasrids of Granada
by Markus Hattstein The last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe and the rise of the Nasrids The last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe, the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, has always fascinated historians…
