AtlasIslamica
Legacy of Andalusia

Tórtoles Mosque

Built in 15th century, Tórtoles Mosque remains almost not altered in the later centuries and currently is attached to the remains of the old fortified tower of town castle

Zaragoza, España

Coordinates: 41.918889, -1.724444

Dating from the 15th century, it is a building of special historical significance because it constitutes one of the latest works of Muslim culture on the Peninsula.

Tórtoles housed an estimated community of 2000 Muslims at that time, which explains the existence of a mosque, built at the beginning of that century.

Inside, restored in 2015, you can see the Muslim mihrab, a colorful Mudejar ceiling with Arabic inscriptions and wall paintings corresponding to the conversion into a Christian church.

This restoration received the second prize ‘Restoration and Rehabilitation Intervention Heritage’ of the Prize García Mercadal 2016.

The mosque was converted into a church in 1526.

Inscriptions in Arabic

In 2020, after a restoration undertaken by the University of Valencia, inscriptions written in Andalusian Arabic were discovered on the coffered ceiling, which survived a fire of an undetermined date. Among them are verses from the Qur’an

You may also like

Zahara de la Sierra Village

Founded by Berber tribes, Zahara de la Sierra is a beautiful small Pueblo Blanco (white village) perched on top of a steep hill in the Sierra de Grazalema about 45 minutes drive from Ronda

Segovia Fortress

A Muslim era fort, which was itself largely replaced by the present structure, Segovia Fortress is one of the most distinctive castle-palace in Spain by virtue of its shape – like the bow of a ship

Giralda Bell Tower

Built as the minaret for the Great Mosque of Seville in al-Andalus, Giralda Bell Tower remains one of the most important symbols of the city, as it has been since the Middle Ages

El Bañuelo (Hammam al-Yawza)

Used to be the Muslims public bath complex for ritual purification (ablution), Hammam al-Yawza is a 11th century relic which is one of the oldest surviving monuments from the muslims period

Granada Cathedral

Built over the former terrace of the Great Mosque of Granada, Royal Chapel of Granada was built after emirate of Granada, last Muslim kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula fell in 1492

Let’s Talk