Wednesday, 6 November 2019

The beauty of Mudéjar architecture at the Real Alcázar in Seville, Spain

*WS 102: the beauty of Mudéjar architecture at the Real Alcázar in Seville, Spain*

An alcázar is a castle built in the Iberian Peninsula by the Muslim Moorish rulers. The Real Alcázar in Seville was originally the medieval fortress of Moorish rulers built in the 10th century. After the Christian Reconquest in the 1360s, it was occupied by the Christian kings, and further extended. Today the royal family of the King of Spain still has the uppermost floor reserved as a royal residence. The complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a preeminent example of Mudéjar architecture. Mudéjar is an art form in post-Islamic Christian Iberia that was strongly influenced by Moorish taste and workmanship. We visited this place in 2010 and again in 2017. 

The 1st photo shows the entrance Lions Gate and the 2nd and 3rd the most beautiful courtyard called the Courtyard of the Maidens. Inside are many halls, decorated with interlaced wood panels, tiles and horseshoe arches. Typical examples found in the 4th and 5th photos. The oldest and most beautiful of the halls is the Hall of Ambassadors with a splendid stalactite dome ceiling adorned with decorative friezes and inscriptions in the Arabic script. These halls were built by the Christian kings, employing Moorish artisans. Last 3 photos.









No comments:

Post a Comment