The courtyard
Interlacing arches.
Fernando — CC BY-SA 4.0 · GFreihalter — CC BY-SA 3.0 · GFreihalter — CC BY-SA 3.0 · GFreihalter — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CARLOS TEIXIDOR CADENAS — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Aljafería is a fortified palace in Zaragoza, northeast Spain, about 273 km northeast of Madrid and 257 km west of Barcelona in a straight line. With the Mosque of Córdoba and the Alhambra, it is one of the three finest examples of Andalusi architecture in Spain. It was built in the second half of the 11th century in the taifa of Zaragoza as the seat of the Banu Hud dynasty under Abu Jaafar al-Muqtadir, from whom it takes its name. It is the only large surviving example of architecture from the taifa period. In 2001 its original restored parts were included in the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon UNESCO World Heritage Site. From outside it looks like a rectangular fortress with round towers of honey-coloured stone and brick, set in a garden and dry moat. Inside, a courtyard is framed by interlacing lobed arches and fine stucco carving, with a small octagonal oratory, and later halls with gilded wooden ceilings from the time of the Catholic Monarchs. Visitors explore the courtyard, the oratory and the halls, and guided tours are offered. The palace lies west of the city centre and pairs well with the Basilica of the Pilar on the Ebro.
Interlacing arches.
Stucco carving.
From a later era.
Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Yes.
The Basilica of the Pilar on the Ebro.