Andalusia is known as Muslim Spain or Muslim Iberia. It is a Muslim territory during the prime days of Islam. It is due to the victory of the Umayyad conquest of Hispania. The conquest took seven years to conquer the Iberian Peninsula and they ruled all over Andalusia for 781 years. It became the greatest Muslim civilization. As time went by the Muslim rule slowly declined and put to end in 1492 after the city of Granada was conquered during the Reconquista by the Christian. Andalusia is a unique destination because you can see the combination of old Muslim and Christians architecture which you can only find here. Besides, you can also visit the cathedral that was converted into a mosque and converted back into a cathedral for several times which is very unique because they recycled the building instead of demolishing it. So here are some attractions for you to explore in Andalusia.
- Alhambra
Alhambra was built on top of a hill in Granda, Spain. It is the most beautiful construction in Granada. Alhambra is originally a small fortress in 889 AD and has been rebuilt to become a palace by Nasrid Emir Mohammed Ben Al-Ahmar. This humongous fortress and palace is such a beautiful place and a luxury palace that was decorated with a beautiful garden filled with hundreds of types of flower, fountain, pond, and statues. You can even see a beautiful designs on the wall and Ceiling. This humongous palace is altered to renaissance style after the Reconquista in 1492.
- Catedral de Granada
Catedral de Granada is a huge cathedral located in the middle of Granada, Spain. This cathedral is known as the Cathedral of the Incarnation due to the victory of Christians. It was built after the acquisition of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada from its Muslim rulers in 1492. The cathedral took 181 years to build and it was built with the combination of two styles which are the renaissance and baroque styles. The interior of this cathedral is so beautiful and eye-catching. The cathedral also had been intended as a royal mausoleum by Charles I of Spain.
- La Mezquita
The Mezquita or famously known as The Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is a massive construction located in the city of Cordoba, Spain. This mosque is originally a Christian church dedicated to Saint Vincent III. This church layout is divided and shared by Muslims and Christian after the Islamic Conquest. This sharing method lasted for 73 years until Emir Abdul al-Rahman purchased the Christian’s half. As a result, he demolished the original building and started to construct a new mosque on its ground. The mosque was converted to Roman Catholic church after Cordoba returned to Christian rule during the Reconquista 1236. This Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is well known for its arcaded hall with 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, granite, and porphyry.
- Plaza de Espana
Plaza de Espana is a plaza located in Seville, Spain. This plaza was built on Maria Luisa Park in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1928. This plaza has mixed elements of Renaissance revival and Moorish revival style. This building is a huge half-circle of buildings. There are numerous bridges representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain, a fountain in the middle of the plaza, and tiled Provincial Alcoves along the walls of the Plaza de Espana.
- La Giralda
La Giralda is a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville. This tower towering almost every building in Seville. This tower was originally built as the minaret for The Great Mosque Of Seville during the reign of the Almohad Dynasty. This mosque was built to replace The Mosque of Addabas, since the congregation has grown larger. This city mosque was converted into a cathedral after the Reconquista in 1248. Renaissance style was added by the Christians to the building after the expulsion of the Muslims from the area. The tower has a beautiful design which makes it one of the unique towers.
