- Type
- Castle
- Built
- c. 1065 · 11th century
- Style
- Renaissance architecture
- Heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage List
- Coordinates
- 41.6565°, -0.8971°
History
The palace was probably begun around 1065 by Abu Jafar Ahmad al-Muqtadir of the Banu Hud dynasty, ruler of the taifa of Zaragoza; the building takes its name from him, while he himself called it the Palace of Joy. In 1118 Alfonso I the Battler captured Zaragoza and the Aljafería became a residence of the kings of Aragon. In the late 15th century the Catholic Monarchs added a palace with a grand throne room, and the Inquisition tribunal operated in part of the complex. In 1593 Philip II turned it into a citadel with bastions and a moat. After centuries of military use the palace was restored, and since 1987 it has been the seat of the Aragonese parliament.
What to see
Behind the moat and walls with semicircular towers lies the Santa Isabel courtyard with its intricate interlacing arches, one of the finest works of Islamic art in Spain. Next to it is a tiny octagonal mosque with a mihrab. Upstairs are the rooms of the Catholic Monarchs' palace with a gilded coffered ceiling. The palace's Mudéjar parts belong to the UNESCO listing Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q1354033
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