Architecture in Andalusia

During the Islamic rule that lasted between AD 711 and 1492, a prosperous selection of distinctive palaces, mosques, and fortresses were erected in Andalusia, which used to be then an important section of the Islamic lands known as the heartland of Al-Andalus. The distinguishing characteristic of the Omayyad architecture was that it still bore sturdy resemblance with the techniques of Christian Visigoths who before ruled the peninsula.
The horseshoe arc that was first observed in Visigoth church buildings became the hallmark of the Andalusian structure during the Omayyad period. One of the incredible examples of this is a Grand Mosque in Córdoba. The majority of the design traits were taken from the 8th-century Syrian structure (Noble). These included a sturdy prevalence of plant motifs and embellishing calligraphy on the building walls or the doorways.While the architecture itself was elaborate, the decorative design was mostly intricate. The widely used materials included stone, stucco, and plaster. Plaster was often used door coating the exterior walls. During the late stage of the Islamic architecture development, the stone was replaced by a brick due to the efficiency of the latter (Noble). The examples of such design include The "Mezquita" or The Great Mosque of Cordoba.The Mezquita of Cördoba is the oldest surviving mosque of the era. It originally had a shape of a square divided into two rectangular parts. The building created a large horizontal space that differed from the usual Islamic verticality. In the final 10th century version, the building became supported by 1293 columns (Noble). After the Christians had reconquered Andalusia in the late 15th century, many of the architectural wonders of the era were destroyed, while others were converted into Christian churches.Work CitedNoble, John. "Islamic Architecture Of Andalusia « Islamic Arts And Architecture". Islamic Arts And Architecture, 2012, http://islamic-arts.org/2012/islamic-architecture-of-andalusia-2/.