The Albaicín (Spanish pronunciation) or Albayzín (Arabic: ٱلْبَيّازِينْ) as it was known under Muslim rule, is a district of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past dating back to the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, along with the Alhambra.
The Alhambra (Spanish: aˈlambɾa, Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء, Al-Ḥamrā ) lit.The complete Arabic form of which was Qalat Al-Hamra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Nasrid emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.[1] After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition), and the palaces were partially altered in the Renaissance style. In 1526 Charles I & V commissioned a new Renaissance palace better befitting the Holy Roman Emperor in the revolutionary Mannerist style influenced by Humanist philosophy in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid Andalusian architecture, but which was ultimately never completed due to Morisco rebellions in Granada.
Almohad Mosque (1172–1248) The Almohad caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf ordered the construction of a new grand mosque for the city on 1172 on the south end of the city. The new mosque was dedicated in 1182, but was not completed until 1198. It supplanted the one built between 829 and 830 by Umar Ibn Adabbas on the site of the present-day collegiate church of Divino Salvador as the main prayer hall in the city. Larger and closer to the city's alcázar, the mosque was designed by the renowned architect Ahmad ben Basso as a 113 x 135 m rectangular building with a surface of over 15,000 m², including a minaret and ablutions courtyard. Its prayer hall consisted of seventeen aisles oriented southward, perpendicular to its Qibla wall, in the manner of many mosques of Al-Andalus, including the mosque of Ibn Adabbas.
Medina Azahara (Arabic: مدينة الزهراء Madīnat az-Zahrā: literal meaning "the shining city") is the ruins of a vast, fortified Arab Muslim medieval palace-city built by Abd-ar-Rahman III (912–961), the first Umayyad Caliph of Córdoba, and located on the western outskirts of Córdoba, Spain. It was an Arab Muslim medieval town and the defacto capital of al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, as the heart of the administration and government was within its walls.
The Calahorra Tower (Spanish: Torre de la Calahorra) is a fortified gate in the historic centre of Córdoba, Spain. The edifice is of Islamic origin. The Tower of La Calahorra rises up at the south of the Roman bridge, the far end from the city centre. It is a fortified gate originally built by the Moors (Almohads) and extensively restored by King Enrique II of Castile in 1369 to defend the city from attack by his brother Pedro I the Cruel from the South. It was origionally an arched gate between two towers. Enrique II added a third cylindrical shaped tower connecting the outer two.
The Roman bridge of Córdoba is a bridge in the Historic centre of Córdoba, Andalusia, southern Spain, originally built in the early 1st century BC across the Guadalquivir river, though it has been reconstructed at various times since. Most of the present structure dates from the Moorish reconstruction in the 8th century.
Great Mosque of Cordoba, old Arab and Jewish quarters, The Roman bridge, The Tower of La Calahorra museum, and ruins of the Madinat al Zahra and more. Seville Cathedral (Al-Mohad Mosque), Giralda Tower Museum, and the Alcázar Palace (Al Qasr) and more. Alhambra (fort, palaces & gardens), Albaicin (old Arab Quarter) and New Mosque of Granada and more.
The Jewish Quarter is the best-known part of Cordoba's historic centre, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984 and is one of the largest in Europe. To the northwest of the Mosque-Cathedral along the city wall, its medieval streets have a distinctly Moorish flair to them, reminiscent of the Jews' prosperity under the Caliphate of Cordoba. This neighborhood's history is a history of the Caliphate and of the West. Of special interest are the Synagogue and Souk.
The Alcázar of Seville (Spanish "Reales Alcázares de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville", (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈkaθar])) is a royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally developed by Moorish Muslim kings. The palace is renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain, being regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of Mudéjar architecture found on the Iberian Peninsula.[1] The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the adjoining Seville Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies
“The experience was inspirational, enlightening and amazing. Saskatoon Misbah Islamic School, Canada – April 2013
“Thank you so much for making this trip one of the best I’ve had. Your knowledge of Islamic Spain is astonishing and your passion, energy, enthusiasm, Manchester Islamic High School for Girls, UK, – July 2013
“Thank you for organising such a great and interest holiday, this was my best holiday ever, thanks to you, Manchester Islamic High School for Girls, UK, – July 2013
“Once again it was our pleasure to be part of such a wonderful tour and mainly because our group members made it so enjoyable and to our wonderful tour guide Yaseen who went out of his way to help as, understand our needs and made whole experience comfortable. We were fortunate to have a fantastic driver Antonio who made our journey smooth and with ease . My husband and I enjoyed the attractions and the knowledge the guides provided .So thank you we had a good time and looking forward to next tour.
“I liked the diversity of activities, the number of cities visited and the theme that ran across the tour. I also found our guide, Yaseen to be fantastic and extremely cooperative. He went beyond the call of duty to help us all. As was our driver Antonio. We wanted a short but interesting holiday with the children that was convenient yet informative/educational. We were very interested in discovering the Islamic heritage of Spain and sharing that with our young children.
“Thank you for a wonderful tour. We really enjoyed it and have come home full of beautiful images and interesting information. We would very much like to thank Yazeem personally – Thank you again, and look forward to maybe going on another tour with you again.