Almeria Small City Guide
Medieval Almeria. AlmerĂa was the cradle of prehistoric and ancient civilizations and one of the richest Arab alAndalus villages, this is why is an interesting destination to visit. In a this article, we will comment the medieval history of the city and as we can see it to this day. We will focus on Arab and Christian monuments like the castle , the cathedral and the ancients walls.
Alcazaba fortress In Muslim period, we can cite a wide range of tourist options, however the most interesting is the Alcazaba Castle. The Alcazaba of Almeria is one of the best preserved in Spain and the visit is free.
This Moorish fortress was the seat of government of the Taifa of AlmerĂa, began in 955 by order of Abderrahman III being finished in the eleventh century under the rule of HayrĂĄn and finally end by the castillians kings in 1500.
This magnificent complex had une mosque, baths, cisterns and shops, but due to the earthquake that devastated it during the modern times, little remains standing, although an important archaeological site that is being restored. The fortress is made up of three zones AlmotacĂn Palace, residence of rulers, military camp in case of siege was also the place where the inhabitants took refuge in the city and finally a part of the Castilian kings, the castle built by order of the Catholic Monarchs in the westernmost and elevated, adapting it to modern artillery after its conquest in 1489.
Wall Jairรกn Also noteworthy are the walls of the city's Wall and the Wall Jairรกn the San Cristobal hill guarding the entrance of the valley north of the city.
These walls leave the Alcazaba descending northward through the ravine of La Hoya, (where today there is a lovely zoo African wildlife recovery) and then up to the Cerro de San Cristobal. Up to the Cerro de San Cristobal has award as well as beautiful views of the city and the citadel find the monument to the Sacred Heart statue carved an impressive Macael dating from 1930 and the remains of the first Christian fortification built during the siege of 1147. Another Muslim period are the cisterns of Jairรกn, dating from the eleventh century heyday of Almeria and built by the king during the Taifa Jairรกn for water supply of the city.
Spanish-Moorish ship Finally we highlight a replica of a Spanish-Moorish ship between the tenth and fourteenth, docked at Club de Mar, The felucca Almariya. A visit to this boat show us life in the sea and in the cellar of the museum show the time showing the relations with the Mediterranean area had one of the most important ports of Al-Andalus.
The felucca Almariya Christians Monuments The Christians took AlmerĂa on two occasions, first in 1147 a conquest that lasted only 10 years, but he left the city very touched, but was later recaptured its glory was waning, in the 2 nd time in 1489, with the overwhelming majority of hosts Christians and massacres occurred in the capture of Malaga two years earlier, Arab leaders decided to surrender the city and that is why the citadel walls and did not suffer much damage. Although the 1522 earthquake destroyed much of the city 33 years later. Of Spanish period we highlight, the best preserved of the fortress that is the Christian castle with cannons, where Ferdinand stayed in 1489 after the capture of the city.
Lodging and hotels in Almeria Almeria in one of the most turistic areas of the spanish mediterráneo and there we can find many accomodation options like beach complex, hotels in the city center or even turistic appartments. Here I would like to remark some of them . • Apartamentos Turísticos Best Pueblo Indalo en Mojácar • • • • • • • • • •
Best Indalo en Mojácar Best Mojácar en Mojácar Best Oasis Tropical en Mojácar Best Sabinal en Roquetas de Mar Arena Center en Roquetas De Mar Avenida Almeria en Almería Estrella de Mar en Roquetas De Mar Golf Center en Roquetas De Mar Mediterraneo Park en Roquetas De Mar Sevilla Almeria en Almería
The Cathedral of Almeria Religious architecture is the most prominent, the Cathedral of the Incarnation of AlmerĂa was raised on the old mosque, Isabel the Catholic actually entered the city on December 24, 1489 and 26 and Masses were held in many of the mosques to purify. Unfortunately, the great earthquake of 1522, I leave the church badly damaged and had to be rebuilt so that an opportunity was lost as the cathedral of Cordoba to keep the two styles.
The current work began rebuilding in 1526 but was not completed until the eighteenth century. Like most churches of the time has a late Gothic style with three naves, One of the inherited characteristics of the mosque are the defensive elements that make it one of the few cathedrals-fortress of Europe. Given his long subsequent development contains artistic elements like Renaissance lantern over the crossing and the old courtyard that was turned into a neoclassical cloister. It is also worth noting the keep seventeenth century with numerous bells and the two facades of Renaissance Main Gate and the Gate of Pardons. Almeria today has much more to see and enjoy the modern age, but I'll leave that for another article.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this walk through the historic AlmerĂa.