Alcazaba of Almería

See also: Alcazaba (disambiguation)

Alcazaba of Almería
Alcazaba de Almeria
Almería, Andalucía, Spain
The Alcazaba taken from the east overlooking the first enclosure
Coordinates	36°50′28″N 02°28′19″W
Type	Fortress
Site information
Open to the public	yes
Site history
Built	10th century
Built by	Abd ar-Rahman III

The Alcazaba of Almería is a fortified complex in Almería, southern Spain. The word alcazaba, from the Arabic word (القَصَبَة; al-qaṣabah), signifies a walled fortification in a city.

History

In 955, Almería was given the title of medina ("city") by the Caliph of Cordoba Abd ar-Rahman III, when the construction of the defensive citadel located in the upper sector of the city began.^[1] Provided not only with walls and towers but also with squares, houses, and a mosque, it was to be the seat of the local government, commanding the city and the nearby sea.

The complex was enlarged under caliph Al-Mansur and again under Khayran as-Saqlabi [ar], the first king of the independent taifa of Almería.

Its purpose was to protect the area's largest city at the time, Pechina.^[1]

Most of the objects from the archaeological site at the Alcazaba are kept in the Museo de Almería, but some are in the Museo de la Alhambra.^[2]

Description

The first line of walls is a wide enclosure corresponding to the first Muslim military camp, used as shelter for the population in case of siege. For this task it was provided with large cisterns.

The first enclosure is separated by the second one by the so-called Muro de la Vela ("Wall of the Sail"), taking its name from a bell that warned the population in case of events such as the arrival of a ship in the port, danger, fires etc. This wall was built by King Charles III of Spain.

In the second enclosure was the residence for the governors, their soldiers and their servants. It included also the mosque, baths, tanks, tents etc.

The third enclosure, the most external, is also the most modern in the complex. After the Christian reconquest of Almería, the Catholic monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon had a castle built in the most elevated sector of the town, more apt to resist the new gunpowder artillery.

Cinema

The Alcazaba has been used to film Conan the Barbarian,^[3] Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,^[4][5] Never Say Never Again,^[6] and most recently Wonder Woman 1984,^[7][8][9] as well as the syndicated TV series Queen of Swords used the inner courtyard and gardens.^[10] Wonder Woman 1984 production company will donate 18.000 € to preserve and investigate the Alcazaba.^[11]

The sixth season of the TV series Game of Thrones was shot in locations from Andalusia to Catalonia, including the Muralla de Jayrán,^[12] and the Alcazaba fortress, which is the capital of Dorne, the kingdom of the House Martell.^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Merlons of the walls.
• 
  The walls with defensive tower.
• 
  Wall of the Alcazaba.
• 
  Inner courtyard.
• 
  The gardens

See also

• History of Islam in Spain

References

1. "La Alcazaba de Almería. La Gran Ciudadela". Turismo Andalucia (in Spanish). January 16, 2012. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
2. "Primeras investigaciones". Junta de Andalucía (in Spanish). Consejería de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucía. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
3. Selcke, Dan (6 July 2015). "Game of Thrones Season 6 will be shot in part in Almería, Spain". Winter Is Coming. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
4. "Sweating it out in Europe's only desert". The New European. 29 August 2017. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
5. Paradox (15 July 2017). "A trip to Medieval times: the most beautiful castles of Spain". MiceTimes. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
6. Cutter, Kattie (7 January 2017). "Three Movies that Were Shot at the Alcazaba of Almeria, Spain". weSRCH. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
7. Agencia EFE (August 28, 2018). "Alcazaba de Almería acogerá en septiembre parte rodaje 'Wonder Woman: 1984'". Cadena COPE (in Spanish). Radio Popular S.A. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
8. "La Alcazaba acogerá el rodaje de varias escenas de 'Wonder Woman: 1984' en septiembre". Europa Press (in Spanish). Almería. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
9. Martínez, D. (29 August 2018). "El rodaje de 'Wonder Woman: 1984' será en la Alcazaba del 5 al 8 de septiembre". Diario de Almería (in Spanish). Joly Digital. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
10. De Longis, Anthony (2 August 2001). "Behind The Scenes And on The Set With Anthony De Longis". WebRing®, Inc. Scorpio Rising. Archived from the original on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
11. Rodríguez, Marta (10 September 2018). "La productora de 'Wonder Woman: 1984' donará 18.000 euros a la Alcazaba". La Voz de Almería (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2018.
12. "Game of Thrones filmed in Andalucia". Andalucia.com. 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
13. Pedraza, Jacobo (25 April 2016). "The new Spanish settings for 'Game of Thrones'". El País (in Spanish). Prisa. Retrieved 3 June 2019.

External links

Media related to Alcazaba y Murallas del Cerro de San Cristóbal at Wikimedia Commons