The Umayyad Palace in Amman, located in the heart of the Citadel, is one of the most important architectural vestiges of the Jordanian capital: both for its antiquity and for its uniqueness. And in addition, it has a surprising relationship with the past and present of Spain, as we tell you in this article.
What is the Umayyad Palace in Amman
The Umayyad Palace of Amman, also known as the Umayyad Alcazar, is a construction that dates back to the eighth century. It is not the oldest in the Citadel in which it is located because, in fact, vestiges of ancient times have been found on this hill, including the Neolithic, which makes this place one of the oldest continuously inhabited in the world.
In fact, at the time of the Umayyad domination of the area, the residential and defensive complex was much larger, with a large square, a mosque and a wall surrounding the entire place, among other elements. Its elevated location gives it a special charm, overlooking the rest of the hills that make up the current city of Amman.
Due to its typology and its construction period, it has certain similarities with the desert castles, located in the east of the country: Qusayr Amra, Qasr Kharana and Qasr Al Azraq, as we mentioned in this post.
The Umayyad Palace in Amman and Spain
As surprising as it may seem, the Umayyad Palace in Amman has an interesting relationship with Spain, both with its past and its present. To do this, we must stop at the ‘surname’ of the palace: Umayyad. That was the dynasty that ruled the great caliphate that stretched from ancient Persia to the Iberian Peninsula, with its capital in Damascus.
And it was precisely the dynasty that ruled Al-Andalus, first as an independent emirate (9th-10th centuries) and then as a caliphate (from its proclamation by Abd al-Rahman III in 929 until the beginning of the 11th century), with its capital in Cordoba. That is why this residential, palatial, religious and military complex can be considered a direct precedent of some of the equivalent complexes that were built in southern Spain. In particular, Medina Azahara, although experts also find points in common with other Spanish citadels and fortresses, such as the Alhambra.
Aware of this relationship of inspiration, the Ministry of Culture and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, through the Spanish National Research Council, have carried out archaeological and restoration projects in the complex since 1974, which include actions such as consolidation of structures and virtual reconstructions using digital tools.
But without a doubt, the most visible and imposing element carried out by the Spanish technicians is the dome of the Umayyad Palace in Amman. Before the interventions, the great lobby of the palace was completely uncovered because the original dome that crowned the space had been lost. But with the intention of giving the complex a more welcoming appearance, with a view perhaps to a possible cultural use, it was decided to build a dome.
And so that this decision would not negatively affect the original elements that have been preserved of the palace, such as its walls, the decision was made to build a wooden dome: lighter and easily dismantled if necessary, made from glued sheets. And, in the words of the architect in charge Antonio Almagro, with “an unmistakable differentiation as a contemporary work”, that is, without the intention of creating a ‘false history’.
Undoubtedly, one more incentive to visit the Citadel and, in particular, the Umayyad Palace in Amman, which since these recent interventions presents a more welcoming aspect for all those who come to discover it. If that is your case, contact us to arrange a more personalized and in-depth visit to this place full of history.
