Not just Córdoba shone … but the whole of Al-Andalus over which its caliph presided. In the end, it would be Al-Andalus’s vast intellectual wealth, inseparable from its prosperity in the material realm, that made it the ‘ornament of the world.’
Maria Rosa Menocal, The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain
Muslims ruled the Iberian Peninsula for more than 700 years. During that time, individuals of different faiths excelled in science, philosophy, theology, agriculture, art, and architecture. Their lasting contributions created an advanced, thriving culture.
Islamic Spain also enjoyed the influences of other Muslim lands. They incorporated many of these pioneering ideas into their own society. As a result, Islamic Spain soon became a center of innovation for both material culture and the sciences.
Since that time, the contributions of Andalusi society have had a lasting effect on world culture. So much of what we know and employ today dates back to Islamic Spain. Modern-day science, technology, art, architecture, and even clothing and dining etiquette can all find their roots centuries earlier in Islamic Spain.
Learn more about art in Islamic Spain here.
