Arabic Influences In Spain

Around 710 C.E. a few Islamic Arab groups began to settle on the Iberian Peninsula. These Islamic invaders were known as the Moors or Hispano Musulmanes. For 800 years the Moors were in control of the Islamic Iberia, known as Al-Andalus (“Arab Influence”). This Muslim territory conquered is now known as Spain and the southern parts of Portugal. This period of time was the Golden Ages in Spain. While Spain was advancing and ahead of the other countries, Europe was stuck in the Dark Ages. In 1492, Granada, the last city under Muslim control, was then taken over by the Spanish Christians. The Arabic language has influenced the philosophies of Europe, chemistry, algebra, the use of Arabic numerals over the Roman numerals, and even the use of the
Although Spain has been an independent country for 525 years, the Spanish culture is greatly influenced by the Arabs which ruled the area for 800 years. The Arab tongue has influenced the Spanish language significantly. Spanish has more than 8,000 words and about 2,300 place names that come from Arabic origin (“Arabic Contributions to the”). The Arabic language had the greatest impact on the Spanish language after Latin and this shows the tremendous impact on the language. The Spanish language became a unique combination of Latin and Arabic. People preferred to learn Arabic over Spanish, because the Arabic language was the core of knowledge. Gustave Lebon claimed, “If Musa ibn Nusayr had been able to conquer Europe, he would have made it Muslim and he would have saved it from the darkness of the Middle Ages” (“Arabic Contributions to the”). The Arabic
Architecture can manifest the aspects of a culture and their influences. Throughout Southern Spain the influence of the Arabian architecture on the landscape is portrayed in the same elements used on mosques. According to Naissance Renaissance, “The elements such as the horseshoe arches, muqarnas (plaster placed in geometric patterns surrounded by calligraphy), voussoirs of different colors, striped decorations, colorful tilework (azulejo), simple columns, and domes.” The horseshoe arches, columns, and the dome gave extra strength to the building. These same elements can be seen in the building and mosques built in Arab countries such as Iraq and Egypt. This special art of building is called, arabesque, which is the use of geometrical, repetitive, and mathematically designed patterns (“Islamic Architecture of”). In the Mosque of Cordoba, this architecture is displayed in the arches, red and white colored stripes, the columns, and the tilework that reflect the Arabic culture. Islamic Arts and Architecture states that, “In its final 10th century form the Cordoba Mesquita’s roof was supported by 1293 columns” (“Islamic Architecture of”), this illustrates the Arab influence on the architecture of Spain because even after it was transformed into a Cathedral, the Arab elements of Architecture is portrayed in every inch of the building. Medina Azahara near Cordoba was the capital