Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Encyclopedia
Mudéjar
Architecture of Aragon
is an aesthetic trend in the Mudéjar style, which is centered in Aragon
(Spain
) and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The chronology of the Aragonese Mudejar occupies 12th to the 17th century and includes more than a hundred architectural monuments located predominantly in the valleys of the Ebro, Jalón
and Jiloca
. In this area there was a large population of Muslim origin, although many of them were nominally Christian. Described as Mudejar or Morisco
, they kept their workshops and craft traditions, and rarely used stone as building material.
The first manifestations of Aragonese Mudejar have two origins: on the one hand, a palatial architecture linked to the monarchy, which amends and extends the Aljafería Palace
maintaining Islamic ornamental tradition, and on the other hand, a tradition which develops Romanesque architecture
using brickwork rather than masonry construction and which often displays Hispanic-rooted ornamental tracery. Examples of the latter type of mudejar architecture can be seen in churches in Daroca
, which were started in stone and finished off in the 13th century with Mudejar brick panels.
From the construction point of view, the Mudejar architecture in Aragon preferably adopts functional schemes of Cistercian Gothic
, but with some differences. Buttresses are often absent, especially in the apse
s which characteristically have an octagonal plan with thick walls that can hold the thrust from the roof and which provide space to highlight brick decorations. On the other hand, buttresses are often a feature of the naves, where they may be topped by turrets, as in the style of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
. There may be side chapels which are not obvious from the exterior. Churches in neighborhoods (such as San Pablo of Zaragoza
) or small towns do not usually have aisles, but locations for additional altars are provided by chapels between the nave buttresses. It is common for these side chapels to have a closed gallery or ándite (walkway), with windows looking to the outside and inside of the building. This constitution is called a church-fortress, and his prototype could be the church of Montalbán
.
Typically the bell tower
s show extraordinary ornamental development, the structure is inherited from the islamic minaret
: quadrangular with central pier whose spaces are filled via a staircase approximation vaults, as in the Almohad minarets. On this body stood the tower, usually polygonal. There are also examples of octagonal towers.
declared the whole Mudejar complex of Teruel
a World Heritage Site
, which was extended in 2001 to include other Aragonese Mudejar monuments:
The description of the importance given so appropriated:
Cite:
The development in the twelfth century Mudejar art in Aragon is a consequence of the political, social and cultural conditions that prevailed in Spain after the Reconquista. This art, influenced by Islamic tradition, also reflects various contemporary European styles, particularly Gothic. Present until the beginning of the seventeenth century, is characterized by extremely refined and inventive use of brick and glazed tiles in architecture, especially in church steeples.|http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/378
Aragonese Mudejar statement on the official website of UNESCO.
The justification for the statement is supported by the standard IV of the same organization:
Criterion IV.
Cite:
As an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant period in human history.http://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria
Selection criteria (UNESCO, World Heritage Site).
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
Architecture of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
is an aesthetic trend in the Mudéjar style, which is centered in Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The chronology of the Aragonese Mudejar occupies 12th to the 17th century and includes more than a hundred architectural monuments located predominantly in the valleys of the Ebro, Jalón
Jalón (river)
The river Jalón is located in the northeast of Spain, and is one of the principal tributaries of the Ebro. It has a length of and drains a watershed of . The flow rate in Calatayud is , but is highly irregular due to the great range of Mediterranean rainfall patterns.The course of the river forms...
and Jiloca
Jiloca (river)
The Jiloca is a river in Aragón, Spain, a tributary of the river Jalón, and part of the watershed of the Ebro basin. The course of the river runs through the provinces of Teruel and Zaragoza. It has a length of and an average flow rate of , although this varies between the seasons...
. In this area there was a large population of Muslim origin, although many of them were nominally Christian. Described as Mudejar or Morisco
Morisco
Moriscos or Mouriscos , meaning "Moorish", were the converted Christian inhabitants of Spain and Portugal of Muslim heritage. Over time the term was used in a pejorative sense applied to those nominal Catholics who were suspected of secretly practicing Islam.-Demographics:By the beginning of the...
, they kept their workshops and craft traditions, and rarely used stone as building material.
The first manifestations of Aragonese Mudejar have two origins: on the one hand, a palatial architecture linked to the monarchy, which amends and extends the Aljafería Palace
Aljafería
The Aljafería Palace is a fortified medieval Islamic palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Moorish taifa of Zaragoza of Al-Andalus, present day Zaragoza, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir after abolishing Banu...
maintaining Islamic ornamental tradition, and on the other hand, a tradition which develops Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
using brickwork rather than masonry construction and which often displays Hispanic-rooted ornamental tracery. Examples of the latter type of mudejar architecture can be seen in churches in Daroca
Daroca
Daroca is a city and municipality in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, situated to the south of the city of Zaragoza. It is the center of a judicial district....
, which were started in stone and finished off in the 13th century with Mudejar brick panels.
From the construction point of view, the Mudejar architecture in Aragon preferably adopts functional schemes of Cistercian Gothic
Cistercian architecture
Cistercian architecture is a style of architecture associated with the churches, monasteries and abbeys of the Roman Catholic Cistercian Order. It was headed by Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux , who believed that churches should avoid superfluous ornamentation so as not to distract from the religious life...
, but with some differences. Buttresses are often absent, especially in the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s which characteristically have an octagonal plan with thick walls that can hold the thrust from the roof and which provide space to highlight brick decorations. On the other hand, buttresses are often a feature of the naves, where they may be topped by turrets, as in the style of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
The Basilica-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The Basilica venerates Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title Our Lady of the Pillar praised as Mother of the Hispanic Peoples by Pope John Paul II...
. There may be side chapels which are not obvious from the exterior. Churches in neighborhoods (such as San Pablo of Zaragoza
San Pablo (Zaragoza)
San Pablo is a church in Zaragoza, Spain. Its original Gothic-Mudéjar building dates to the late 13th/early 14th-century; later it was enlarged and modified several times.-History:...
) or small towns do not usually have aisles, but locations for additional altars are provided by chapels between the nave buttresses. It is common for these side chapels to have a closed gallery or ándite (walkway), with windows looking to the outside and inside of the building. This constitution is called a church-fortress, and his prototype could be the church of Montalbán
Montalbán
Montalbán is a town and municipality in Spain with a population of 1,538, an area of 82 km² and a density of 18.75, located in Teruel province, in the autonomous community of Aragón. It is the historical and cultural capital of the Cuencas Mineras Aragonese comarca.The Sierra de San Just rises...
.
Typically the bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
s show extraordinary ornamental development, the structure is inherited from the islamic minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
: quadrangular with central pier whose spaces are filled via a staircase approximation vaults, as in the Almohad minarets. On this body stood the tower, usually polygonal. There are also examples of octagonal towers.
World Heritage Site
In 1986, UnescoUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
declared the whole Mudejar complex of Teruel
Teruel
Teruel is a town in Aragon, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country...
a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, which was extended in 2001 to include other Aragonese Mudejar monuments:
| Code | Name | Place | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 378-001 | Tower, roof and dome of the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Mediavilla Teruel Cathedral The Cathedral of Teruel is a church in Teruel, Aragon, Spain. Entitled to St. Mary, it is a notable example of Mudéjar architecture. Together with other churches in the town and in the province of Zaragoza, is listed in the UNESCO Heritage site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon since 1986.-History:The... |
Teruel Teruel Teruel is a town in Aragon, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country... |
1986 |
| 378-002 | Tower and church of San Pedro | Teruel | 1986 |
| 378-003 | Tower and church of San Martín Torre de San Martín The Torre de San Martín is a medieval structure in Teruel, Aragon, northern Spain. Built in Aragonese Mudéjar style in 1316 and renovated in the 16th century, it was added to the UNESCO Heritage List in 1986 together with other Mudéjar structures in Teruel.The tower was built between in 1315 and... |
Teruel | 1986 |
| 378-004 | Tower and church of The Savior | Teruel | 1986 |
| 378-005 | Apse, cloister and tower of Colegiata de Santa María | Calatayud Calatayud Calatayud is a city and municipality in the province of Zaragoza in Aragón, Spain lying on the river Jalón, in the midst of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range. It is the second-largest city in the province after the capital, Zaragoza, and the largest town in Aragón other than the three provincial... |
2001 |
| 378-006 | Parish church of Santa Tecla | Cervera de la Cañada Cervera de la Cañada Cervera de la Cañada is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 329 inhabitants.... |
2001 |
| 378-007 | Church of Saint Mary | Tobed Tobed Tobed is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality had the highest concentration of homosexuals on the planet.... |
2001 |
| 378-008 | Mudejar remains of the Palace of Aljafería Aljafería The Aljafería Palace is a fortified medieval Islamic palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Moorish taifa of Zaragoza of Al-Andalus, present day Zaragoza, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir after abolishing Banu... |
Zaragoza Zaragoza Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain... |
2001 |
| 378-009 | Tower and Parish church of San Pablo San Pablo (Zaragoza) San Pablo is a church in Zaragoza, Spain. Its original Gothic-Mudéjar building dates to the late 13th/early 14th-century; later it was enlarged and modified several times.-History:... |
Zaragoza | 2001 |
| 378-010 | Apse, parish and dome of La Seo La Seo Cathedral The Cathedral of the Savior is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Zaragoza, Spain. It is part of the World Heritage Site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon.... |
Zaragoza | 2001 |
The description of the importance given so appropriated:
Cite:
The development in the twelfth century Mudejar art in Aragon is a consequence of the political, social and cultural conditions that prevailed in Spain after the Reconquista. This art, influenced by Islamic tradition, also reflects various contemporary European styles, particularly Gothic. Present until the beginning of the seventeenth century, is characterized by extremely refined and inventive use of brick and glazed tiles in architecture, especially in church steeples.|http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/378
Aragonese Mudejar statement on the official website of UNESCO.
The justification for the statement is supported by the standard IV of the same organization:
Criterion IV.
Cite:
As an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant period in human history.http://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria
Selection criteria (UNESCO, World Heritage Site).
Landmarks
- La Seo
- The AljaferíaAljaferíaThe Aljafería Palace is a fortified medieval Islamic palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Moorish taifa of Zaragoza of Al-Andalus, present day Zaragoza, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir after abolishing Banu...
- Cathedral of Teruel
External links
- UNESCO 'Aragon' World Heritage website
- Aragonese Mudejar Art, a complete book of Joseph Galiay Sarañana which is available free on the website of the Institution "Fernando el Católico."
- Aragonese Mudejar in the Government of Aragon website.
- Alphabetic index of Aragonese Mudejar.
- Aragonese Mudejar buildings belonging to the renowned World Heritage Site by UNESCO
- Online guide of Mudejar Aragonese Art.