Aljafería

Panoramic view of palace

The Aljafería Palace

The Aljafería in Zaragoza was declared aNational Monument of Historical and ArtisticInterest on the 4th June 1931. In 1947, howeverit still remained a woeful sight in rags, accordingto the architect Francisco Íñiguez Almech, who forover thirty years undertook a slow and thoroughrecovery task. After his death in 1982 this wascontinued by the architects Ángel PeropadreMuniesa, Luis Franco Lahoz and Mariano PemánGavín. The result of all these alterations, backedby several archaeological digs, has led to thepresent-day appearance of the building, in whichthe original remains can be distinguished from thereconstructed part.

Moreover the Regional Assembly of Aragonhas its seat in one section of this collection of his-torical buildings. Work on the Assembly buildingwas started in 1985 by the architects Francoand Pemán. This work is part of the aesthetictrends of contemporary architecture, and itsauthors have avoided including historical ele-ments that could lead to possible mistaken inter-pretation. In 2001, UNESCO declared the Mudejararchitecture of Aragon a World Heritage site,and praised the Aljafería palace as one of themost representative and emblematic monumentsof Aragonese Mudejar Architecture.

This retains part of the primitive fortified enclo-sure on a quadrangular floor plan reinforced bygreat ultra-semicircular turrets, together with theprismatic volume of the Trobadour Tower, whoselower part, which dates from the IX century, is themost ancient part of the architectonic building.

The islamic palace

Portico and Northern Side Arches

This enclosure houses residential quarters inits central area which are similar to the typolo -gical model of the omeya influenced Islamicpalaces, just like those that had developed inthe Moslem palaces in the desert (which dateback to the VIII century). So, in contrast to the defensive spirit and the

strength of its walls, the taifal palace, which is of

delicate ornamental beauty, presents a compo -site plan based on a great rectangular open aircourtyard with a pool on its southern side. Nextcome two lateral porticoes with a polycuspedmixed line series of arches that acts as visualscreens and at the far end some tripartite rooms,which were originally intended for ceremonialand private use. There is also a small oratory inthe northern portico, with a small octagonal floorplan, in whose interior fine and lavish plasterdecorations can be seen (with typical atauriquemotifs) as well as some brightly coloured well-contrasted pictorial fragments, which are of par-ticular interest. All of these artistic achievements correspond tothe work carried out during the second half of theXI century under the command of Abu-Ya©farAh-mad ibn Hud al-Muqtadir, and they serve tohighlight the cultural importance and the rich vir-tuosity of his court. Futhermore, the Aljafería isthought to be one of the greatest pinnacles of His-pano-Moslem art, and its artistic contributionswere later copied at the Reales Alcazares inSeville and at the Alhambra in Granada.

Oratory:Niche of Mihrab

After Zaragoza was reconquered by Alfonso IEl Batallador (The Warrior), in 1118, the Chris-tianisation of the Aljafería began. Thus, it becamethe Palace of the Aragonese monarchs, who alsocarried out successive expansion and restructu -ring work inside. From this medieval period (XII- XIV centuries),

it is worth mentioning Saint Martin’s Church, theroom called Saint Isabel’s Bedchamber, SaintGeorge’s Chapel which no longer exists, theseries of arches on the western side of SaintIsabel’s courtyard, and above all, the halls ofPedro IV’s Mudejar Palace, crowned by somesplendid, recently restored, carved ceilings. Fur-thermore, these buildings are of vital importancehaving been the main focal point of the dissemi-nation and influence of the formation of MudejarArt in Aragon.

The medieval christian palace

Alfarje (detail)

The palace of the CatholicKing and Queen This palace was erected on top of the

Moslem structure in around 1492, to symbolisethe power and prestige of the Christian mo -narchs. However, the direction of the work fell tothe Mudejar master, Faraig de Gali. The workblended the medieval artistic inheritance with thenew Renaissance contributions. From this origincame some of the most significant examples of

the so-called Reyes Catolicos style (that of theCatholic King and Queen). The palace comprises a flight of stairs, agallery or corridor and a collection of roomsknown as The Lost Steps, which lead to the GreatThrone Room. Of these, the most interesting are,on the one hand, the paving, made up of smallpaving tiles and the tiles from Muel, and on theother, the gold and polychrome wooden ceilingsamong which the magnificent coffered ceiling inthe Throne Room is especially remarkable.

Flight of stairs

From 1593, by order of King Phillip II, theSiennese engineer Tiburcio Spanochi drew upplans to transform the Aljafería into a modernstyle fort or citadel. Consequently, he providedthe buildings with an outer walled enclosure withpentagonal bastions at the corners and an impo -sing moat surrounding it all (with slightly slopingwalls and corresponding drawbridges). How -ever, the real reason for building this fort wasnone other than to show royal authority in theface of the Aragonese people’s demands for theirrights as well as the monarch’s wish to curb pos-

Modern dayand contemporary restoration

Elevation of the Aljafería by T. Spanochi

sible revolts by the people of Zaragoza. After thisfirst military renovation, throughout the XVIII andXIX centuries, extensive alterations were made tothe building to adapt it for its use a barracks. Tothis day the blocks built during the reign ofCharles III remain, along with two of the Neo-Gothic turrets added during the time of Isabel II. Lastly, we must point out that very fewAragonese monuments have as many excellentarchitectonic examples as those at the Aljafería inZaragoza, summing up ten centuries of daily lifeas well as historic and artistic events in Aragon.

Northern face seenfrom the moat

The Regional Assemblyof Aragón Since 1987 the Aljafería palace, a witness tocenturies of important events, has again occupiedits corresponding place in history. It has regainedits dignity and welcomed within its old walls theinstitution that represents all the Aragonese peo-ple: The Regional Assembly of Aragon. Before 1987, the Spanish Constitution hadbeen ratified in 1978, and the Autonomy Statuteof Aragon in 1982, with the first autonomous elec-tions soon afterwards. These led to the beginningof the Aragonese Parliament, which representsover 1 300 000 people living in Aragon’s spa-cious, expansive 47 669 km2, almost 10% of thetotal area of Spain, although over half these peo-ple live in Zaragoza. The Regional Assembly of Aragon is a single-chamber assembly, made up of delegates electedevery four years in these regular elections by uni-versal, free, equal, direct and secret vote. There

are currently 67 delegates in the Parliament: 14from Teruel, 18 from Huesca, and 35 fromZaragoza. The Regional Assembly of Aragon has manyfunctions, although making laws and promotingand controlling the actions of the governmment ofthe Autonomous Region are two of the main ones. The Regional Assembly of Aragon consists of aseries of managerial and representative bodies(President, the Assembly Board and HouseBusiness Committee) and some operational bodies(Plenary, Commissions and The StandingCommittee). The Plenary, which is the chamber’shighest body, gathers together all the delegates,and is where the most important decisions aretaken. Its sessions are held in the PlenaryChamber, which is in a contemporary building,separate from the walls and the taifal palace butperfectly integrated within the monument, oppositeSaint Martin’s Chapel.

Plenary Chamber

OPENING TIMES MORNINGS (except Thursdays and Fridays*)

Throughout the year From 10am to 2pm Guided Tours: 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30am.

AFTERNOONS (except Thursdays*) From November to March From 4pm to 6.30pm Sunday afternoons closed Guided Tours: 4.30pm, 5.30pm

From April to October From 4.30pm to 8pm Guided Tours: 4.30pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm

*Due to the activity of The RegionalAssembly of Aragon, on Thursdays(all day) and Fridays (mornings)the Palace cannot be visited exceptby pre-arranged groups.

The palace can be visited everyday during the month of August, at the timesindicated.

Access to the Palace ends 30 minutesbefore closing time.

GROUPS Organised group visits from Monday to Saturday. Reservations: Tel. 976 28 96 85 aljaferia@cortesaragon.es

PRICE LIST GENERAL: Adults: 5€ REDUCED: Pensioners: 1€ Students: 1€ Holders of youth cards: 1€ Groups (more than 20 people): 4€ FREE: Sundays. Children under 12 years. Holders in possession of the card of demand for employment. People with disability equal to or above 33%.

DISABLED Access for the physically handicapped. PERSONS There is a model and explanatory guide of the Palace written in Braille.

PHOTOS Using a flash is not allowed AND VIDEOS inside the Palace.

SMOKING Smoking is not allowed inside the Palace.

SHOP Books, brochures, postcards and other items BOOKSHOP related to the Aljaferia Palace are available.

TELEPHONES Information: 976 28 96 83/84

ADDRESS Palacio de la Aljafería Calle de los Diputados, s/n 50004 Zaragoza

WEB PAGE www.cortesaragon.es

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