Aragón

Aragon

Thagr Al-Ándalus, song of plaster and brick, and the heart of Mudejar

Welcome to Thagr Al-Ándalus, the Upper Mark of Al-Andalus, the most northern Andalusian lands, between the Ebro Valley and the Pyrenees. The Muslims arrived here in 714 and stayed for nine centuries, until 1610: four of those centuries as rulers and five as the ruled (as mudéjares and moriscos).
In both cases, their contribution to the development and prosperity of Aragón was crucial. They founded cities, revitalized trade and agriculture, and created wealth and coexistence. Their distance from the central Andalusian power in the South allowed them to gain distinctiveness and autonomy. When the Caliphate collapsed, they forged the most brilliant and powerful taifa kingdom on the peninsula—Saraqusta (Zaragoza)—with an imposing palace—the Aljafería—which remains active today. Another “Aragonese” distinction: they worked with brick and plaster like nowhere else on the Peninsula. Finally, they made possible what may be the most beautiful and spectacular uniqueness of all: Mudejar art, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Come discover the Andalusian Experience in the lands of Aragón.

Arquitectura

Gastronomía

Música

Fiestas

Video

Arquitechture

Medinas

Gastronomy

Water

Video

San Pedro Teruel

Architecture

The Aljafería Palace is the most iconic example of Andalusian architecture in Aragón and, along with the Mosque of Córdoba and the Alhambra, one of the pinnacles of Islamic art in Spain. Like Aragón itself, it is full of surprises and uniqueness. It was initially a fortress, then a royal palace, and after many changes, it now serves as the headquarters of the Aragón Cortes. It is the most vivid example of the splendor reached by the taifa of Saraqusta and, since 2001, its Mudejar art has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

So is, as a whole, the Mudejar art of Aragón. That was the year when UNESCO extended the designation initially awarded to the towers of San Pedro, San Martín, and El Salvador, and the tower, roof, and dome of Teruel’s cathedral. Six more Mudejar jewels in Zaragoza and its province were later added to the list. A fusion of Islamic and Christian elements, of East and West, this is how the only art form that can be genuinely considered Spanish can proudly be an expression of coexistence and interculturality with global recognition.

Alquezar

MEDINAS

For Islam, the city is a key factor in its model of civilization. When the Muslims arrived in the Ebro Valley in 714, they only found three urban centers: Tarazona, Zaragoza, and Huesca. Between the late 8th and early 9th centuries, they founded Calatayud, Mequinenza, and Daroca. Around the year 900, they refounded Ejea and Barbastro, and shortly after, Albarracín (as well as many other locations such as Alquézar, Caspe, or Alcañiz). All of these, both old and new medinas, would thrive as prosperous and highly commercial cities.

Medinas where fortresses, markets, mosques, and palaces were created, where coins were minted, and crafts such as textiles, ceramics, construction, and metallurgy developed. Above all, Zaragoza (Saraqusta) stands out: first as the capital of the Upper March, then as an independent taifa or kingdom, a significant center of political, economic, and intellectual power. In Saraqusta, for example, the great Ibn Bayyah, Avempace, was born and lived: philosopher, physician, botanist, astronomer, mathematician, musician, poet, and vizier. He was a true paradigm of the Andalusian scholar.

Noria de agua

WATER

The Ebro River has always influenced the lives of the people living along its banks, inspiring the efforts and ingenuity of the various civilizations settled in the area. The Romans were the first to create hydraulic infrastructure in the river. Abandoned for centuries, it was rebuilt, repurposed, and expanded during the Andalusian period. An emblematic example is the Roman dam in Almonacid de la Cuba, dating back to the 1st century, which, at 34 meters high, is the tallest preserved dam in Europe. It was the Muslims who restored the dam and rebuilt the “ojo de la cuba” (the sluice), which had been completely blocked.

Azudes, norias, and noriales (stone constructions that house the waterwheels) are the most representative and monumental architectural forms of the hydraulic systems of the Ebro River. Originating in the Andalusian era, those that remain are later medieval constructions or reconstructions. Two remarkable examples are the waterwheel at the Monastery of Rueda, from the 12th century, and the one in Velilla del Ebro, notable for having two parallel waterwheels

Almojábanas

Gastronomy

What does Aragon’s guirlache taste like? Delicious almonds and caramel, made only with sugar, water, and fire. And Andalusian heritage. No quality pastry shop in Aragón – especially if it’s a century-old establishment – would be complete without this artisan sweet, which has Arabic roots, made throughout the year. Interestingly, its name has nothing to do with Arabic or Spanish, but rather with French (“grillage”), as it was the French who popularized it in the 19th century. In Teruel and Albarracín, almojábanas are typical, another sweet treat from Andalusian pastry-making.

For those with a sweet tooth, there’s another delight waiting: Aragonese fruit, covered in crunchy chocolate. Chocolate is a heritage from the New World, but the Andalusians have much to contribute to the history of fruit in Aragón. During Al-Ándalus, fruit production reached unprecedented levels and an unmatched variety. According to Andalusian agricultural and botanical treatises, the most abundant and consumed fruits at that time were pears, plums, apricots, pomegranates, medlar, figs, and quinces, along with hard-shelled fruits like almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, and chestnuts

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València

You will find its deep Andalusian imprint in an impressive intangible heritage: gastronomy, music, and traditions, including one recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Additionally, there are examples of military architecture (2), civil architecture (2), museums (4), and more...

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