Mozarabic Art and Architecture - Architecture

Architecture

The principal characteristics that define the Mozarabic architecture are the following:

  • A great command of the technique in construction, employing principally ashlar by length and width.
  • Absence or sobriety of exterior decoration.
  • Diversity in the floor plans, certainly the majority stand out by the small proportions and discontinuous spaces covered by cupolas (groined, segmented, ribbed of horseshoe transept, etc.).
  • Use of the horseshoe arch, a very tight arch with the slope being two-thirds of the radius.
  • Use of the alfiz.
  • Use of the column as support, crowned by a Corinthian capital decorated with very stylized vegetable elements.
  • The eaves extend outwards and rest on top of corbels of lobes.

The Mozarabic architecture interpreted strictly in its definition, that is to say, that the Mozarabs in Muslim Iberia brought to completion, would be reduced to two examples:

  • The Church of Bobastro: rock temple located in the place known as Mesas de Villaverde, in Ardales (Málaga), of which only some ruins remain.
  • The Church of Santa María de Melque: located in proximity to La Puebla de Montalbán (Toledo). With respect to this temple, its stylistic parentage is in doubt, because it shares Visigothic features with other more proper Mozarabic features, nor its date being clear.

Nevertheless, at a popular level, including in encyclopedias and books, the denomination that has kept prevailing is Mozarabic Art and among the most important that can be cited in Spain and Portugal, the following can be counted as Mozarabic:

  • In Castile and León:
- San Miguel de Escalada (León)
- Santiago de Peñalba (León)
- Santo Tomás de las Ollas (León)
- San Baudelio de Berlanga (Soria)
- San Cebrián de Mazote (Valladolid)
- Santa María de Wamba (Valladolid)
- San Salvador de Tabara (Zamora)
  • In Cantabria:
- Santa María de Lebeña (Cantabria)
  • In Aragón:
- San Juan de la Peña (Huesca)
- Church of the Serrablo (Huesca), as the Church of San Juan de Busa
  • In La Rioja
- San Millán de Suso (San Millán de la Cogolla)
  • In Catalonia:
- San Quirce de Pedret (Barcelona)
- Santa María de Marquet (Barcelona)
- Church of San Cristóbal (Barcelona), in the municipality of Vilassar de Mar, at 30 km from Barcelona
- San Julián de Boada (Gerona), located in the small hamlet of the same name, in the comarca of Baix Empordà (Gerona)
- Santa María de Matadars (Barcelona), in the municipality of El Pont de Vilomara i Rocafort
  • In Galicia:
- San Miguel de Celanova (Orense)
  • In Portugal:
- São Pedro de Lourosa (Lourosa da Beira)
- Catedral de Idanha-a-Velha (Idanha-a-Velha)

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