Constructional Chronotypologies of the Military Structure in the Qasabat Al-ḥamrā

Abstract

The monumental complexes of the Alhambra and the Generalife in the city of Granada (Spain), built by the Nasrid sultans more than six centuries ago, constitute the final phase of Hispano-Muslim art in which Islam reached its greatest splendour and marked personality in the Iberian Peninsula. The attraction and interest that these ensembles have aroused in the sensibility of contemporary man, especially from the 18th century to the present day, hardly find a parallel in the world's historical heritage, and the consequences of this fascination have been considerable both on the architecture itself and on the ornamentation that distinguishes the Alhambresque revival. For this reason, any serious approach to the knowledge of the Alhambra site cannot do without a scientific analysis of its constructive characteristics and its evolution over the centuries, thus dismantling any possible distortion of the historical truth in favour of a false historical romanticism. From the analysis of the constructive chronotypologies that can be recognized in The Spanish Muslim architecture from the beginning of the Islamic domain until the end of the 14th century, constructive characterization patterns are identified regarding the geographical, social, technical and material variables in the field of military architecture present in the Qasabat Al-Ḥamrā (hallmark of the period) and the analyzed contexts. Based on the seriation of functional and material values, and identification of local patterns, an interpretative model of the documented construction systems and materials is proposed, providing an unprecedented typological-constructive analysis of this paradigmatic heritage. Based on these premises and following the itinerary proposed by Vargas in 2013 to manage the different functional, material and technical variables used to identify types and systems, the aim of this work is to elaborate a model which meets formal, stylistic and constructive aspects. Thus, by identifying the constructive systems, techniques and typologies, we present a chronological description and review of the different types existing in the territory, extrapolated to the analyzed local context and supported by updated planimetries of the places of study.