During the final period of Muslim rule in Andalucía, only the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada held on, covering roughly the modern provinces of Málaga, Granada and Almería. Although politically weak and riven by internal conflict, it was a centre of culture and learning.
In 929 the Emir of Córdoba Abd al-Rahman III declared himself Caliph. The Caliphate of Córdoba was splendid but short-lived, and the centuries following its collapse were plagued by conflict.
For over five centuries, Muslim rulers controlled the whole of Andalucía. During the first two hundred years of Muslim rule, Córdoba was the capital of a powerful Emirate which covered most of modern Spain and Portugal.
Mudéjar is a style of architecture that’s unique to Spain. The name Mudéjar comes from the name given to the Muslims who lived in the medieval Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula.
By far the most famous of Granada’s monuments is the spectacular Alhambra, or “red palace”, which is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of historic Islamic architecture in the world.
The Albaicín is the part of Granada which best preserves the character of the Muslim medieval city, and together with the Alhambra it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can easily spend a morning or afternoon getting lost in its narrow streets and alleyways.
The idiosyncratic combination of Muslim and Christian religious architecture makes the Mezquita, as it is generally known, one of the world’s most remarkable and easily identifiable buildings. Together with the Alhambra, it is the outstanding example of Andalucía’s Islamic heritage, and no first visit to Córdoba would be complete without stepping inside.
