Capital

Unknown

ca. 960 · Stone · The Cloisters

'Abd al-Rahman III, the self-proclaimed caliph of the Islamic lands of southern Spain, commissioned a great palace-city in 936 (324 a.h., by the Islamic calendar). Called Madinat al-Zahra' ("shining city" in Arabic), it was located near his capital at Córdoba and included residences, reception halls, a mosque, markets and gardens. Madinat al-Zahra' was destroyed by Berbers from North Africa in 1010 (400 a.h.). Sculpture from the site was reused in medieval churches and secular buildings.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 960

Medium

Stone

Culture

Spanish

Department

The Cloisters

Credit line

The Cloisters Collection, 1925