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The term ‘Moors’ referred to Islamic peoples from North Africa who were typically of Arabic or Berber lineage, they were diverse in skin colors and languages and kept migrating to Europe, Asia, and Africa. This made them do not belong to any particular country or group.
In 711 AD, Moors people swept in from Africa and conquered the Iberian Peninsula or so-called Medieval Iberia, while the rest of the Western Roman Empire was falling under the Dark Ages. There was an aggression in European art, architecture, and overall quality of life when most of its population was illiterate. They ruled Spain for five centuries, inspiring a Europe-wide crusade among Christians to reconquer the land. The entrance of the Moors retained the developments of the Roman empire from amended cities that they conquered and built upon them through trade, education, and warfare. There were some new crops, ideas, and innovations were brought by the Moors to Europe. Even the three Abrahamic religions coexisted in relative harmony. Christians and Jews were allowed to practice their belief under the Islamic kingdom. Generally, they put dramatic effect on bringing Europe, especially Spain out of its dark ages and directly influenced the continent for cultural, transitions, and technological breakthroughs.
In the 8th century, the Moors created a state reigned over the region called Andalusia, which has major historical provinces as Sevilla, Còrdoba and Granada. They left the most distinct mark on the architecture, since it is the most recognizable heritage among other Moorish art forms. Some of them include Alhambra castle, La Mezquita, and Alcazar castle. Major characteristics can be noticed from figures of horseshoe arches, cupolas, slender pillars, well ventilated and spacious rooms, and fortified exterior. The uniqueness derived from the combination between Islamic and Christian decorations around the interior and exterior. Mozarabic and Mudèjar are the terms that distinguish between the art style of Christian under Muslim rule, and any art forms made by Muslim under Christian rule.
The architecture of Alcazar palace was originally built in the 10th Century, but the modern construction began in the 1400s when it started combining between Renaissance and Mudèjar decoration. The king hired Muslim workers to give Moorish elegance. There are stylized Arabic script, a standard feature of mosques, created a visual chant of Quranic verses. But the décor is Christian, where there are animal figures, building figures, and kings’ figures that wouldn’t be found in Muslim ornamentation that forbids images. The garden also reflects a mix of cultures with the intimate geometric Moorish gardens leading to the later much more expensive backyard of Spanish kings.
Alhambra was built in the 1300s. It is one of the most stunning Moorish architecture ever survived during the Spaniard reconquest. The palace’s parts that remain intact out of several ruined halls and gates are The Court of Myrtles, the Palace of The Lions, and the tropical residence called Mirador de Daraxa. The Myrtle’s Court is a pool that leads to the great hall of ambassadors that was used for important meetings. The hall utilizes sunlight to invoke a dramatic feeling of power. Its ceiling is covered by interlaced patterns that represent the seven heavens. Palace of the Lions was a relaxation hall with a naturalistic style that was dominated by Christian influence. Its court is surrounded by galleries of columns that are similar to cloisters found in Christian churches. Twelve lions’ sculptures spout water into four streams that represent four rivers of paradise. There are several rooms around the court called the Hall of Mocarabes, the Hall of Mucarnas, the Hall of the Kings, and Hall of the Two Sisters, and the Hall of the Abencerrajes. Each of them had a different service during the reign. Mirador de Daraxa's residence was built up on the hill and is placed in the northern part of the Lions’ palace, where sunlight penetrates through stained glass ceilings. It was used as a summer residence that is surrounded by tropical a garden called The Partal. Notably, there are fountains and a portico of five arches overlooking a reflective pool. Many characteristics of the halls and courts reflect religious law in Islam, from Quranic calligraphy, infinite geometric patterns that evoke God’s infinite power, and biomorphic patterns that define the order of nature.
The Moors ruled stretched as far as France, but slowly they were pushed back and expelled from Sevilla in 1248 and pushed entirely out of Western Europe by 1492. Since then, Moorish arts were no longer to be produced after Granada, the last Moorish empire in Spain was invaded by the Roman empire. However, Sharīfian dynasties in Morocco continued the tradition from the 16th century ahead by enhancing the artistic ornamentation of Moorish arts in the 14th century.
In the present day, historical palaces and fortresses built by the Moors are still being preserved as touristic sites. Some notable artists and architects from the 18th to 19th Century adopted the style inspired by Moorish architecture. The ultimate balance between math and arts inspired famous Dutch artist M.C. Esher to explore tessellations. He sketched and studied the polygonal walls of Alhambra back in the 1920s. Modern classical architect, Antoni Gaudi also took inspiration from Moorish ornamentation to be applied to his work El Capricho. The summer villa puts a decorated minaret made of bricks on the entrance. The use of ceramic pillars emphasizes the characteristics of the Mudéjar architecture style.
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