{"id":3065,"date":"2023-08-31T08:33:16","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T08:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/megalockers.com\/en\/?p=3065"},"modified":"2023-08-31T08:33:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T08:33:25","slug":"the-7-secrets-of-the-aljaferia-palace-in-zaragoza-the-impressive-11th-century-muslim-fortress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/megalockers.com\/en\/blog\/the-7-secrets-of-the-aljaferia-palace-in-zaragoza-the-impressive-11th-century-muslim-fortress\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 secrets of the Aljafer\u00eda Palace in Zaragoza, the impressive 11th century Muslim fortress"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Aljafer\u00eda Palace is undoubtedly one of the main tourist attractions of Zaragoza<\/strong>, always appearing in the top rankings of websites and blogs on “what to do in Zaragoza<\/a>“<\/strong> and being considered one of the summits of Muslim art in our country, along with the Alhambra in Granada and the Mosque of Cordoba. In this article we are going to tell you 7 secrets to know before your visit to the Aljafer\u00eda Palace<\/strong>, from its origins to the present, as well as how to get there and how to visit it. Welcome to the Muslim past of Zaragoza.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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1. The origin of the Aljafer\u00eda Palace<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Aljafer\u00eda Palace in Zaragoza was built as a recreational residence and fortification for the Hudi kings in the 11th century, under the rule of King Al-Muqtadir.<\/strong> At that time, the present city of Zaragoza was called Saraqusta<\/strong> and was known as the \u201cwhite city\u201d because of the light color of its walls, being one of the Taifa kingdoms<\/strong> that at that time made up the peninsula (independent cities structured in the Iberian Peninsula after the dissolution of the Umayyad caliphate in the tenth century).<\/p>\n

Its original name was Qasr al-Ja’fariyya, which means Palace of Joy<\/strong>, and clearly reflects the splendor reached by the Taifa kingdom of Saraqusta in the period of its maximum political and cultural apogee.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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2. Residence of Christian kings…and of the Catholic Monarchs<\/strong><\/h2>\n

After the reconquest of Zaragoza in 1118 by Alfonso I the Battler<\/strong> (whose monumental statue presides over the beautiful Parque Grande in Zaragoza), the Aljafer\u00eda Palace passed into the hands of the Christian kings of Aragon and became one of the main centers for the diffusion of Aragonese Mudejar art.<\/strong> Important kings of the time lived here, such as Peter IV the Ceremonious<\/strong>, but undoubtedly the most illustrious figures of the nobility of those years who lived within the wide walls of the Aljafer\u00eda Palace were the Catholic Monarchs, who undertook major reforms in the late fifteenth century,<\/strong> such as the construction of a palace on the north wing of the Islamic palace, in order to show the greatness of Ferdinand and Isabella, and to intimidate visitors with the wealth they showed. To access the Palace of the Catholic Monarchs, a grand staircase was built from the courtyard of Santa Isabel.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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3. The Inquisition and arrival of Philip II<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the year 1485, the Palace of the Aljafer\u00eda of Zaragoza became the seat of the Court of the Inquisition, with prisons included.<\/strong> A period of strong repression for the society of that time, which continued with the arrival of Philip II, who transformed it into barracks and ordered to make the appropriate reforms<\/strong> (carried out by the engineer Tiburcio Spanocchi), to adapt the palace-castle of the Aljafer\u00eda to the new artillery weapons and a more elaborate defensive system with slope barriers and moats. As a final sign of repression, Philip II executed the Justice of Aragon Juan de Lanuza<\/strong> (a symbol of the freedoms of Aragon and whose statue presides over the central Plaza de Aragon), in 1591, in response to some revolts of the time and to prevent future social uprisings.<\/p>\n

In later centuries, the palace continued to be modified with continuous reforms, suffering serious damage during the Sieges of Zaragoza and the War of Independence<\/strong> in the nineteenth century.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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4. <\/strong>Spaces and halls of the Aljafer\u00eda<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Some of the main places to visit in the Aljafer\u00eda Palace are:<\/p>\n

– The walls<\/strong>, whose structure can be enjoyed splendidly both from near and far as there are no buildings near the palace.<\/p>\n

– Courtyards such as San Mart\u00edn or Santa Isabel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

– Torre del Trovador<\/strong>, one of the oldest structures of the palace that we will see more in detail.<\/p>\n

– Sal\u00f3n Dorado or Sal\u00f3n del Trono<\/strong>, an essential place where the king of the Taifa received the authorities of other kingdoms to impress and intimidate them with its architectural wealth.<\/p>\n

– Palace of the Catholic Monarchs<\/strong>, as we have previously seen.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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5. The Aljafer\u00eda and Giuseppe Verdi<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Aljafer\u00eda Palace has a very close relationship with Giuseppe Verdi<\/strong>, one of the most important classical music composers of all times. The reason is the following: The oldest building in the entire palace is the so-called “Torre del Trovador”<\/strong>, which received this name because it was the narrative setting of the romantic drama by Antonio Garc\u00eda called “The Troubadour”, and which was turned into an opera by the Italian Verdi<\/strong> in 1853 (“Il Trovatore”), thus granting worldwide fame to the work.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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6. The Aljafer\u00eda Palace nowadays<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Currently, the Aljafer\u00eda Palace in Zaragoza is the official seat of the Aragonese Parliament (the legislative body of the Community of Aragon)<\/strong>, where plenary sessions and other political and social events of the Aragonese territory are held.<\/p>\n

It is worth noting that in 2001 the palace was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO<\/strong>, as a key piece within the architecture and Mudejar art of Aragon.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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7. <\/strong>Opening hours and prices to visit the Aljafer\u00eda Palace<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you want to visit the Aljafer\u00eda Palace, this is the relevant information you need to know (of course, we recommend you to check possible changes through the official website of the Aljafer\u00eda<\/a>\u00a0and also to make the online reservation, which is essential to make the tour<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Opening hours: <\/strong>Monday to Sunday.<\/p>\n

Hours from November to March: <\/strong>10 am to 2 pm and 4 pm to 6:30 pm. Closed on Sunday afternoons. Guided tours: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm.<\/p>\n

Hours from April to October: <\/strong>10:00 am to 2:00 pm and 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Guided tours: 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm.<\/p>\n

Price: <\/strong>5\u20ac (ask for discounts). Free first Sunday of the month and first Monday of the month in the afternoon.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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And… how to get to the Aljafer\u00eda?<\/strong><\/h2>\n