AUGUSTA EMERITA, CAMINO MOZARABE

AUGUSTA EMERITA Arab Alcazaba This huge fortress was erected by the Muslims in Mérida by Umayyad emir Abd ar-Rahman II in 835 AD. The fortress was designed by the architect Abd Allah. The Alcazaba is the oldest fortress on the Iberian Peninsula and it was... More

AUGUSTA EMERITA Arab Alcazaba This huge fortress was erected by the Muslims in Mérida by Umayyad emir Abd ar-Rahman II in 835 AD. The fortress was designed by the architect Abd Allah. The Alcazaba is the oldest fortress on the Iberian Peninsula and it was modeled after Byzantine structures. The fortified enclosure had multiple purposes: it served as the seat of the Umayyad residence of the local governor and administrative units, it was the main entrance into the city from the Roman bridge so it was an important gateway since it was how the Muslims could control who could enter and/or leave; it was the refuge of the Muslim minority when, at the time, the locals were staging riots against the Muslim power in Cordoba. The square inside the fortress is the square where troops of the Emir were discovered which happened to be a good area to stop all Muslim revolts and for the Spanish to eventually take over control. The entire perimeter of this vast citadel was surrounded by a large moat, e Less