Medina Azahara, Cordoba, Spain, 940 AD

The Medina Azahara was a city palace built for Abd-al-Rahman III located at the foot of the Sierra Morena mountain, five miles from the city. In 929 AD, Abd-al-Rahman had proclaimed himself as Caliph, and planned to build this city palace in honor of Azahara. The designs of this palace has many bright red and golden colors, with arches that look really thick in width, but sits on little thin columns.

Arches in Medina Azahara

The city was built with three terraces, separated by highest to lowest class levels in the Royal Castle (highest and middle), and mosques (lower class). Medina Azahara had three different public areas: the High Hall, Rich Hall, and High Garden. The High Hall had five naves decorated with arches. The Rich Hall was divided into three naves with red and blue marble arches. The High Garden had four different parts: a summer house in the middle surrounded by four ponds.

Birds-Eye View of Medina Azahara

One of the significant things about this city palace was the ponds that it inhabits. These ponds contained mercury, and this lit up the areas with thousands of flashing colors. Abd-al-Rahman had dedicated much of this construction to include the mercury in the ponds, the signature red and golden arches, pavilions, and roofs covered in gold. Many of the buildings in this city were actually built with the same material, or similar to the mosque of Cordoba’s sandstone.

Floor Plan of Medina Azahara (City Palace)

This space was mostly used for great receptions. The caliph would stand in the middle of the room surrounded by his audience, and usually they would have long endless speeches and poetic compositions recited there.

Sadly, this really beautiful site has been destroyed during the Civil Wars at the turn of the 11th century. Medina Azahara had only lived for 70 years, and now it just sits in its ruins today.

Works cited:

"Official Tourist Website for the City of Cordoba - Accommodation, Restaurants, Places of Interest, Activities, Cultural Programme and All Other Tourist Information for Visitors and Professionals." Tourism of Cordoba - Medina Azahara - Cordoba. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

Geographic, National. "Medina Azahara." Www.nationalgeographic.com.es. National Geographic, 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

Old Cathedral of Salamanca, Spain, 12th century

The Old and New Cathedrals of Salamanca are both located in Salamanca, Spain, across from Palacio de Anaya. Cathedral Vieja de Salamanca and Catedral Nueva de Salamanca as they are known as to the locals were built in different centuries although they are joined together present day. 1

The Old Cathedral is designed in the Romanesque style whereas the New Cathedral follows the Gothic and Baroque style. Founded by Bishop Jerome of Perigord, construction for the Old Cathedral began in the 12th century and it was completed in the 14th century. It is said that the church was dedicated to Santa Maria de la Sede. 2

Mural painting done by Nicolas Florentino

Inside the Old Cathedral can be found the San Martin or Oil Chapel. This was used to store the jars of oil that were used to fuel the lamps in the Cathedral. Also, as seen in plan, the walls of this space were very thick which leads to the assumption that during the Spanish Civil War, it was used as an air-raid shelter. The dome of the Old Cathedral is known as the Torre del Gallo (Cockerel Tower) due to the prominent weather vane on top. Inside can also be found a mural painting that covers the vault which was done by Nicolas Florentino. In this painting, he is depicting Christ at the Last Judgement. 3

Plan of both Cathedrals

Towards the end of the 15th century, it was found that the Old Cathedral was too small and it did seem practical since Gothic architecture was outspreading. As a result, construction for the New Cathedral began. This was also the last Gothic cathedral to be built in Spain. The two cathedrals are significant in architecture because two architectural styles are being compared without taking away from the other. 3

Interior of the Old Cathedral of Salamanca

To visit the Old Cathedral, one must first walk through the New Cathedral. What is interesting about the two churches being built with different styles but being built within each other is that as one enters the Old Cathedral, he/she is surrounded by Romanesque architecture. 3

Works Cited

1 Fernie, Eric. Romanesque Architecture: The First Style of the European Age. New Haven: Yale UP, 2014. Print.

2 Rudolph, Conrad. A Companion to Medieval Art: Romanesque and Gothic in Northern Europe. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2006. Print.

3 "Salamanca's Cathedrals in Salamanca, Spain." Spain.info. N.p., n.d. Web.

Seville Cathedral, Sevilla, Spain, 1528

The Cathedral of Seville, also known as the Catedral de Sevilla by the residents of Spain, is known as the third largest church and the largest Gothic building in Europe.

Catedral de Sevilla as seen from a distance. 

The cathedral was built on the site of the great Aljama mosque, built in the late 12^th century by the Almohads, the ruling Moorish dynasty. Seville’s cathedral was built to demonstrate the city’s power and wealth after the Reconquista. Construction of the cathedral lasted over a century, from 1401 to 1506; nevertheless, the result is an astonishing large building that breaks several size records, surpassing the volume of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Today, the only remains of the mosque preserved were the Moorish entrance court (Patio de los Naranjos) and the Giralda, orinigally a minaret, converted into a bell tower.

Patio de los Naranjos - the preserved entrance from the former Aljama mosque.

The Giralda - the preserved minaret from the former Aljama mosque.
Now serves as a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville.

During the planning stages of the cathedral, it is said that one of the church elders and planners stated: “Hagamos una iglesia tan hermosa y tan grandiosa que los que la vieran labrada no tengan por locos.” (Translation: Let us build a church so beautiful and so magnificent that those who see it finished will think we are mad). Inspired by this goal, the canons of Seville abandoned all but a survival level of their incomes to fund the construction.2

The design of the cathedral was allegedly designed by the French master architect, Juan de Castillo. His design covers an area of 124,000 square feet and rising approximately 138 feet above the ground. Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance architecture amplified throughout, tell the story, not only of the cathedral, but of Seville itself.

Upon entering the huge interior of the cathedral, the first feature to catch the visitor’s eye is the lavishly decorated large central nave. The interior is immensely decorated with gold, but still holds a sense of overall simplicity and restraint in decoration. In the center is a great box-like structure of the choir, which opens onto the Capilla Mayor (Major Chapel) which is dominated by an incredible Gothic ratablo (a votive offering made in the form of a religious picture typically portraying Christian saints, painted on a panel, and hung in a church or chapel). This astonishing masterpiece of the cathedral was all the works of a single craftsman – Fleming Pieter Dancart. He composed 45 carved scenes from the life of Christ carved into wood and covered it in overwhelming amounts of gold. This altarpiece is now considered the largest and richest altarpiece in the world.1 Other notable works of art in the cathedral include 15^th-century stained-glass windows and the iron screens closing off the chapels.

Fleming Pieter Dancer's Gothic retalbo featuring 45 carved scenes from the life of Christ, covered in gold.

The northeast corner of the cathedral contains the domed Capilla Real (Royal Chapel). The Royal Chapel was original built on the site of the original royal burial chapel, therefore it holds the body of Fernando III (El Santo) in a rich, silver shrine. The tombs alongside his are those belonging to his wife, Beatrice of Swabia, and his son, Alfonso the Wise.1

Floor plan of the Seville Cathedral.

Essentially, the Gothic style of architecture governed this cathedral with common Gothic characteristics such as pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, light and airy interiors, and emphasis upon the decorative style and the ornate are seen throughout the structure. Today, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as Seville Cathedral, is the third-largest church known, but the largest Gothic cathedral in the world.

                           

₁ "Seville Cathedral." Sacred Destinations. Sacred Destinations, n.d. Web.

₂ Quintero, Josephine. "An Insiders Guide to Seville Cathedral | Andalucia.com." Andalucia. Andalucia, n.d. Web.

The Alhambra

One of the greatest structures built in the history of architecture is the Alhambra. It is an Arab palace and fortress. It was at first a Roman fortress that was left untouched for time. It wasn’t until the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Amir found and renovated the site during the mid-13th century that it became what it is today. After the Christian Reconquista in 1492, it became the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella, which is also where they endorsed Christopher Columbus for his expeditions. The Alhambra is also incredibly large in size, housing multiple different structures that are also quite large themselves.

            The Alhambra was called “a pearl set in emeralds” because of the way the building looked in comparison with the surrounding forests. Different additions to the site were made throughout time by different Moorish rulers, but what was kept the same was the idea of “paradise on Earth” when taking into consideration the design of the buildings. The outside,however, was left plain for the most part.

            There are multiple main structures forming the Alhambra as a whole. These are the Royal Complex, the Court of Myrtles, the Hall of Ambassadors, the Court of Lions, the Hall of the Abencerrajes, and the Generalife.

There are three main parts to the Royal Complex: the Mexuar, the Serallo, and the Harem. The Mexuar is where all of the business and administrational areas are located. The ceilings and floors are made of dark wood as opposed to the white plaster walls. The Serallo was built later on during the reign of Yusuf I. This area contains the Court of Myrtles. This area is highly decorated. The final area is the Harem, which is also highly decorated. The Court of Myrtles housed a pool which helped to cool the palace as well as being a symbol of power. The court is 42m by 22m and has the pool in the centre. The pool is lined with myrtles and has goldfish in it. There are also galleries on the north and south sides of the court. The Hall of Ambassadors is the largest room in the Alhambra. In this room the throne of the sultan is placed opposite the entrance. The Court of Lions is another courtyard and houses the Fountain of Lions as well. The court is surrounded by a low gallery that is supported by 124 white marble columns.

The Alhambra is an example of what the Arabs left behind with their conquest of Europe. The things they built with their knowledge and skill are mirrored by the prosperity they brought to countries like Spain that were also conquered by the moors.

Works Cited

@alhambradegrana. "Historical Introduction - Historical Introduction." Alhambra De Granada. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

Irwin, Robert. The Alhambra. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2004. Print. 

Aqueduct at Segovia

                Located in Segovia, Spain, the Aqueduct at Segovia was built around during the second half of the first century A.D. when the Roman empire was under control. Its also one of the most significant and best preserved monuments of the Iberian peninsula. The aqueduct supplied water from the Frio river to the city of Segovia into the 20th century. If the aqueduct wasn't there and Segovia was low on water resources, then nobody will have water to use. So this is the purpose of the Aqueduct of Segovia. The aqueduct was more than 10 miles. Some of the arches of the aqueduct was destroyed during the conquest of the Muslims in the 9th century. Shortly around the 15th century, the Catholic kings ordered the people to rebuild the arches at the Aqueduct. 

Aqueduct at Segovia

                The aqueduct stands at 93 feet which is the maximum height and the remaining is dug into the main section at 19 feet. The aqueduct simply adjusts to the contours of the valley, hills, and city therefore creating a sense of monumentality. The pillars are made of solid stone blocks which would fit in place with no mortar. The lower arches would mostly be equivalent in height according to the structure's alteration to the contours of the land. It has 167 arches which is originated from the granite stone of the Guadarrama mountains. Modern aqueducts of today lack the arched grandeur built by the Romans greatly surpass the earlier ones in length and the amount of water it carries.

Ancient Roman aqueducts compared to today

               During the Roman era, each of the three tallest arches displayed a sign in bronze letters indicating the name of its builders along with the date of construction. Some architectural features of the aqueduct are the arches. The arches are one of the major architectural features because the arches give the aqueduct look, style, and beauty. Another major architectural feature is the Gradient. The gradient is more of an angle for the aqueduct to reach the city of Segovia. If the angle was too low, the water would ruin the rocks. If the angle was too high, the water would be really slow and Segovia won't be able to get any water. There's a legend about this structure that Lucifer himself built the bridge in one night in order to win a soul of a woman.

statue of Hercules with the Virgin Mary

The top of the Aqueduct of Segovia

                 Before the water runs into the city of Segovia, it first gathers in a tank called El Caseron (Big house), then it is led through a channel to a second tower known as the Casa de Aguas (Waterhouse).  From there the water is naturally decanted and sand settles out before the water continues its route. Next the water travels more through a one percent grade until it is high upon the Postigo, a rocky outcropping in which the old city enters, the Segovia Alcazar. This aqueduct will always remain one of the most impressive Roman aqueducts in Europe due to it being served for over 2000 years.

Works Cited:

[1] Roman Aqueducts outside Rome: Acueducto De Los Milagros, Almunecar, Aqua Augusta (naples), University-Press Org, 2013.

[2]http://www.spain.info/en_US/reportajes/el_acueducto_de_segovia_la_huella_del_imperio_romano_en_castilla.html