Palace-City of Madinat al-Zahra

File / Documentation

Name

146949_sv.jpg

Size

2.09 MB

Format

JPEG

Checksum (MD5)

d1157bb5e6c30ecf1b85ee557d5aab99

Creator(s)

Islamic, Spanish

architectural firm: Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos (Spanish, founded 20th century)

Time period

creation date: 936-1010

design date: 2001-2003, creation date: completed, 2008

Location

Site: Medina Azahara (Spain)

Site: Palace-City of Madinat al-Zahra (Medina Azahara, Spain)

Cultural context

Islamic

Spanish

Description

Madinat al-Zahra, a planned palatine city located a few miles west of Cordoba, was founded by 'Abd al-Rahman III in 936, shortly after the proclamation of the Umayyad caliphate in al-Andalus. Construction continued during the reign of his successor al-Hakam II.
The city is composed of three terraced platforms, separated from one another by walls, and enclosed by fortified walls. The uppermost terrace contained various buildings for government administration and royal ceremony, as well as residential quarters and gardens for the caliph and the court. The middle terrace was composed mainly of gardens with pavilions and pools, and orchards, while the lowest terrace contained the congregational mosque, markets, and probably residential quarters for the military and for the merchants associated with the market.
Source: Archnet

plan (drawing), site plan with museum site highlighted, with inset aerial view

Work type

Palace

City

Museum

Medium

stone

Keywords