Saturday 21 September – A palace, pinxtos – and a private eye?

After a full day of much needed R&R yesterday, where we didn’t leave our comfy apartment except for a little toddle around the village (hence no blog), we boarded our trusty 603 this morning to the edge of Zaragoza old town and the Aljafeira Palace, which dates from the 11^th century and has now been fully restored, sufficient to gain UNESCO World Heritage listing.  It is like a smaller version of the Alhambra and has been transformed during its long life by its Moorish and Christian occupiers and, along with the Alhambra and the Cordoba mosque, makes up the triad of Hispano-Muslim architecture of the Taifas, or independent kingdoms of Spain in the middle ages.  It was initially the residence of the Muslim Banu Hud dynasty, then after the reconquest of Zaragoza by the Christian Alfonso I of Aragon in 1118 it became the residence of the Christian kings, however the changes that he and subsequent Christian rulers made were generally designed and implemented by Mudéjar craftsmen (Muslims who had chosen to remain and live under Christian rule), so the Moorish influence remained.

When Ferdinand and Isabella came to the throne in the late 15^th century they added an entire floor over the original palace, with magnificent ceilings that are still intact – the date 1492 and the name Ferdinand can be seen in one corner of the ceilings in some of the large chambers. In 1593 King Phillip II transformed the palace into a fort, with solid outer walls and a wide moat, as much as a statement of power to the restless Zaragoza natives as a defence against outside aggression. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries extensive alterations were made so it could be used as barracks, and it suffered significant damage during the Siege of Zaragoza during the Peninsular War with Napoleon (1807-1814) and fell into decay before being rescued and restored by a few dedicated souls from about 1930.

Today the original remains can be distinguished from the reconstructed sections, and the original detail in stone, alabaster and plaster is to be marvelled at.  Not all of the huge complex is open to visitors; one section now houses the Regional Assembly (parliament) of Aragon, but we were able to view sufficient to realise what an important, beautiful treasure this is.

We then wandered into the old town, stopping for a light tapas lunch (they call it tapas here, but go just a little further west and it becomes pintxos) and doing some shopping, before making the journey home.  One curious feature of our bus journeys: we have travelled into Zaragoza and back three times now in the last four days – six journeys in total, at different times of the morning and afternoon.  On every occasion the same elderly man has boarded the bus and travelled with us, in both directions – are we being followed?