Aragon hides a surprising architectural and cultural treasure, built for centuries by the remaining Muslim population after the Christian conquest
On December 11, 1118, the Almoravids capitulated and handed over Zaragoza to the Christian troops of Alfonso I of Aragón. This conquest marked the end of four centuries of Islamic rule. The native population, predominantly Muslim, became a de facto minority under the new Catholic order. This event is crucial for understanding Mudéjar culture. The term “Mudéjar” comes from the Arabic word “mudayyan,” meaning “one who is allowed to stay.” And so it was. The Islamic community was integrated into the new social structure, now as a religious group subjected to the triumphant hierarchy of power.
The Mudéjares retained their economic and cultural activities under Christian control. They soon became an unexpected asset. The Christian kings were dazzled by Islamic art and the beauty of its buildings and, instead of relegating it in favor of the victorious style, adopted the construction language of the defeated in an unprecedented historical-artistic phenomenon. Mudéjar art emerged unstoppable as an artistic and architectural trend throughout Aragón, and Muslim master builders were sought after for their undeniable craftsmanship.
The rise of the Eastern style in Christian territory reached surprising heights. So much so that the Muslim master builders could not keep up and had to train Christian specialists. This eventually allowed the survival of Mudéjar art for centuries.
A remarkable process of cultural transfer occurred. The emerging Christian social reality needed new construction spaces for different functionalities and used the Islamic style of the defeated. The master builders gained new value. Andalusian art, its ornamental expressions, and construction techniques were reused to build churches, erect palaces, construct ovens, and remodel various buildings. Mudéjar culture thrived after its defeat.
POPULATION: Official figures estimate that the Mudéjar population in Aragón was around 10%. However, these are later censuses compiled from the late 15th century. Other studies increase their demographic presence to nearly 20% of the Aragonese inhabitants. In reality, between the 12th century and the conquest of Granada, the Islamic minority of the Ebro Valley enjoyed an integrated social and economic status, allowing them to maintain their agricultural, commercial, and artisanal activities. Some Muslim groups even managed to connect with the monarchic and ecclesiastical elites of the time.
Those commissioning the new buildings were the wealthy Christians. The ones executing them were the Muslim master builders. Thus, the architectural result was not the same. Mudéjar was a flexible language capable of adapting to new spatial realities. Bishops commissioned churches, cathedrals, or funeral chapels from Islamic masters, and all this architecture was subordinated to Christian liturgical functions. The same occurred with palaces. Christian lords commissioned their construction to Mudéjar experts, who had to adapt to the new protocols and functionalities of the Catholic order.
The Aljafería Palace, built in Zaragoza as the residence of the Hudid kings in the second half of the 11th century, was readapted decades later by the Christian conquerors. The repurposing of such buildings was not immediate. The Christian kings of Aragón took over a century to start adapting the Aljafería for its new residential use.
EARTH, PLASTER, AND WOOD. The type of materials used also defines Mudéjar art. These elements are closely tied to the local territory, reflecting what we might today consider sustainable architecture. The first material is earth, worked in a distinctive manner. The main and most durable technique was fired brick, which requires a long and laborious manufacturing process. Contrary to common belief, it is a material of very high quality.
The production of fired brick required skill and was an expensive product not accessible to everyone. In Aragón, there is no marble, although alabaster is available. It is well documented that the cost of fired brick exceeded that of quarry stone. However, it is important to clarify that the technique of fired brick is different from adobe and rammed earth. They are very different construction materials.
In fact, Mudéjar architecture has survived for 800 years and has reached us precisely because of the undeniable quality of the brick and its extraordinary durability. Its production required professional training, and specialized craftsmen known as REXOLEROS emerged, who made bricks using various molds.
Glazed ceramics are another identifying component of Mudéjar culture. This type of luxury ceramics was exclusive to the economic elite. It is often combined with fired brick in exteriors and is also used in the interior salons of high society residences. In 12th-century Islamic Aragón, the pottery workshops of Calatayud and Zaragoza, where these refined ceramics were produced, are already mentioned, as revealed by the Arab traveler and geographer al-Idrisi in 1154.
Another construction material in Mudéjar art is plaster. This is not conventional plaster but aljez, which mimics the stucco of grand Islamic palaces. In Aragón, aljez is obtained by heating gypsum or alabaster to temperatures of up to 1,300 degrees in special kilns. The stone is crushed and reduced to powder to make mortars in a complex process requiring high technical knowledge. It is used to create agramilados, plasterwork, and polychrome decorative techniques that imitate the ornaments of refined palaces like the Alhambra.
Finally, wood has both constructive and ornamental functions. It is used to make partitions, scaffolding, formwork, support vaults, or cover various spaces with magnificent roofing. Craftsmen specializing in wood treatment are known as fusteros.
Earth, plaster, and wood are the three distinctive elements of Mudéjar art. However, not everything Mudéjar is fired brick, nor is all fired brick Mudéjar. Moreover, architectural typology is very varied, ranging from civil to religious, proto-industrial, hydraulic, and residential architecture.
300 MUDÉJAR EXAMPLES. What has come down to us is only a part of the vast Mudéjar construction production. Most of this hybrid architecture has disappeared over the centuries. However, more than 300 Mudéjar examples of various types still exist throughout Aragón. 85% of this artistic treasure is concentrated in the province of Zaragoza, although outstanding elements also remain in Teruel and Huesca.
UNESCO has recognized Mudéjar art as a World Heritage. The first distinction from the international organization was received by the Mudéjar of the city of Teruel in 1986, and later, in 2001, it was extended to the entire Aragonese ensemble through six buildings in the towns of Zaragoza, Calatayud, Cervera de la Cañada, and Tobed. The Unesco declaration provided a decisive boost that has consolidated a cultural brand with enormous potential throughout the community.
The Ebro Valley up to the mouth is the main artistic focus of Mudéjar architecture. Aragón is the only region with the UNESCO distinction for all Spanish Mudéjar. Other areas of the peninsula also host very interesting Mudéjar manifestations. Castilla and León, Toledo, Extremadura, Seville, Granada, and Portugal have notable artistic treasures. Central America, some overseas islands, and South America also have Mudéjar examples.
TERRITORIO MUDÉJAR is a network of Aragonese towns coordinating to highlight a rich and largely unknown historical-artistic heritage. The project started in 2018 and currently includes 48 municipalities. It is an entity dedicated to managing heritage resources linked to local development.
From a dissemination perspective, it has designed 14 routes that connect heritage, urbanism, landscape, and local economy. Both knowledge travelers and those seeking rest find a unique opportunity here.
These are educational routes with an annual calendar on specific dates that can also be reserved à la carte. They are organized into five thematic divisions that bring the style closer through trips to the towns. They are small-format customized routes for up to six people, including visits to craftsmen, learning about traditions, discovering fabulous Mudéjar heritage, restoration, and local commerce. The routes are flexible and can be combined according to the traveler’s interest. The project’s website (www.territoriomudejar.es) offers detailed and well-structured information.
Mudéjar art is a remarkable cultural phenomenon that takes us to a mixed universe that endured for centuries in medieval Aragón. A fertile and beautiful civilizational crossroads. A paradox in the path of history. The triumph of the vanquished.
Aristóteles Moreno
Territorio Mudéjar
Aragonese Mudejar Art Routes
