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The Aljafería is Spain's finest Islamic-era edifice outside Andalucía. Built as a fortified palace for Zaragoza's Islamic rulers in the 11th century, it underwent various alterations after 1118 when Zaragoza passed into Christian hands. In the 1490s the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs), Fernando and Isabel, tacked on their own palace. From the 1590s the Aljafería was developed into more of a fortress than a palace. Twentieth-century restorations brought it back to life, and Aragón's regional parliament has been housed here since 1987.
The Aljafería is the focal point of Mudéjar architecture in Aragon. A Mudéjar is "he who is permitted to remain", a Moor who decided of his own free will to stay on after the Christian conquest. The Mudéjar style (a modern expression coined for the first time in 1859) refers to Islamic art produced or not by Mudéjars, applied principle to Christian art but also used in the construction of mosques and synagogues.
Calle de los Diputados
976 28 96 83
Hours10am-2pm & 4.30-8pm Apr-Oct, 10am-2pm & 4-6.30pm Nov-Mar
Priceadult/concession/child €5/1/free, Sun free
