Tracing the Spanish Moors

Jul 19, 2024

Getting Sidetracked- Agnes Ong

Last year, during the tail-end of my career break, I returned to Spain for the second time. My main goal was to trace the influence of the Iberian Moors, a significant period in history, ending at the Al-Hambra in Granada, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a testament to the rich history of the Iberian Peninsula.

My fascination with History was ignited in my teenage years, particularly by the Form 4 History syllabus. At 16, the chapter that truly captured my imagination was the one on Islamic Civilisation in the Iberian Peninsula. The concept of religious tolerance, particularly of the Iberian Moor’s acceptance of Jews and Christians, left a profound impression on me. Oh, and don’t get me started on their feats of engineering, particularly in water management! The Arabs, with their advanced knowledge of hydraulics and irrigation, gifted the cities they made their home with “water” ingeniously captured through intricate systems of canals and cisterns. This enabled agriculture to be cultivated in a land that could be barren in spots and had temperatures that soared during its high, dry season.

Valencia
My month-long Moorish Iberian adventure began in Valencia, the birthplace of the paella. My girlfriend Lorraine, who had spent a few years working in Barcelona, had raved about this rice dish for years. Over the years, we visited some upscale restaurants in the Klang Valley to enjoy the best paella. Sadly, I had never taken to it.

The Arabs arrived in Valencia in the 8th century on the heels of the Goths. By then, they had been trading for several centuries through the sea and silk route and were well versed with rice as a staple food.

So, they decided to tame a wetland area about 10km from Valencia city called the Al-Bufera (lagoon in Arabic) into paddy fields and the famed paella dish was born. This ingenious transformation was a testament to the historical influence of the Arabs. The traditional dish was a poor man’s fare. Any available protein was thrown into the rice meal – rabbit, snail and chicken feature most prominently. It is then liberally complemented with beans, onions and garlic. The “secret sauce” to the paella was saffron. The Arabs traded in saffron along the trading routes and this is where their chefs flexed their knowledge. The nearby Mediterranean Sea contributed its seafood bounty to this much-beloved Valencian rice dish.

The paella dish is available everywhere in Valencia, be it in the mercado (market) or finedining restaurants. I was lucky enough to snag a table at one of the fancier places to try the traditional paella.

Alas, I still prefer our Jasmine rice.

Granada
Nothing else fires up my imagination more than the medieval city of Granada, where the Moors made their last stand. At the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Al-Hambra stands in all its grandeur, a testament to the power and opulence of the Moorish monarchs.

It is hard to find words that can truly capture the beauty of the graceful Andalusian arches that adorn the different wings of the Al-Hambra, and the nearby palace of the Generalife and the Durro River at its foot. Nearby, the Albaycín, a lively medieval neighbourhood with cave restaurants and the gypsy strains of the flamenco guitar weeping through the evenings, adds to the charm of this place.

Strolling through the Al-Hambra and the Generalife, one can imagine the luxury of the emirs, their harem and court. Birds sang and darted amidst tall cypress trees. Butterflies flirted with flowers in the gardens. Trickling water fountains that mimic the sounds of gentle brooks on temperate nights. Today, the Al- Hambra stands as a testament to this luxurious past, a stark contrast to its current state as a popular tourist destination.

The last waning days of the Moors in Spain saw the exit of Abu Abdallah Muhmammad XII (Boabdil), the last Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada. His kingdom was torn asunder by internal and external factions and the rise of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. As Boabdil left the Al-Hambra with his courtly retinue to a nearby estate, it is said that his mother, who had up to then been his staunch supporter, reproached him saying, “You do well to weep as a woman over what you could not defend as a man”.

Ouch.

Cordoba
Cordoba, the seat of the illustrious Umayyad emirate and jewel of Andalusia, was a unique hub where commerce, religion and culture thrived. At its peak, the city was a bustling metropolis, home to over 100,000 people, a diverse mix of Muslims, Jews, and Christians, living in harmony.

Here in this city, you can find evidence of the only Islamic caliphate in Western Europe, the Caliphate of Cordoba, where progressive thinkers, scientific studies and religious tolerance were encouraged and supported.

The Mezquita of Cordoba, or Mosque- Cathedral of Cordoba, a true architectural marvel, is the city’s crown jewel. Nestled in the heart of the medieval city, this grand structure was first commissioned in 785 by the emir Abdul al-Rahman, on the foundations of the Visigoth Basilica of San Vicente, and is a living testament to the city’s rich history and cultural evolution. As time passed, it expanded, and its grandeur only grew, leaving visitors in awe of its magnificence.

Constructed in a unique blend of neo- Moorish style with Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine touches, the Mezquita is a true architectural wonder. It has the largest surface area outside Mecca and features 1,300 columns linked by architecturally splendid double arches. The examples of Damascus mosques and Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque heavily influenced the design of the original mosque. At its peak, the Mezquita of Cordoba could host over 10,000 Muslim worshippers.

Sadly, the Caliphate of Cordoba ended in 1031. In 1146 and in 1236, the mosque was consecrated as the Cathedral of Santa Maria, marking a significant shift in the city’s religious landscape. This transition to being a Catholic church began with the construction of a main chapel and later on, a proper transept, symbolising the city’s evolving cultural and religious identity.

Echoes of the Moorish architecture are still evident everywhere on the grounds of the Mezquita of Cordoba. There is an orange grove where the Muslims performed their ablutions before prayers. The original Muslim minaret, where the iman would call the faithful to worship, is now a church bell tower.

The Mezquita left a profound impression on me. While I had seen countless photos of it, experiencing its grandeur in person was a truly awe-inspiring moment.

More on my experience in Seville and Toledo in the next instalment. Stay tuned while I get momentarily sidetracked.

(Agnes Ong is a self-professed curious traveller and lifelong learner with a lamentable tendency to get into sidetracked experiences. She aspires to explore as many historical UNESCO sites as possible, funds permitting. Agnes has a travel-slash-work-slash-dump everything IG at @agnes_gets_sidetracked)