Al-Andalus Muslim Architecture

Timeline

1. 1141–1146Seville and Granada · Al-AndalusBetween 1141 and 1146, Al-Andalus remained divided among the Taifa states, with various localities preserving mosques, palaces, and walls from the Umayyad and Almoravid periods. Buildings such as the Great Mosque of Seville and the Mosque of Córdoba continued early Islamic decorative traditions but lacked unified planning and stylistic norms.
2. 1147–1148Seville · AndalusiaAfter capturing Seville in 1147, the Almohads began implementing architectural norms brought from North Africa in Al-Andalus: unified minaret proportions, simplified geometric decorative bands, and strengthened precise qibla alignment. The Great Mosque of Seville gained an Almohad-style minaret (later converted into the base of the Giralda tower), marking a new phase in Al-Andalus architecture.
3. 1149–1150Córdoba · AndalusiaAfter Córdoba came under Almohad rule in 1149, the Great Mosque underwent orientation correction and exterior renovation, with an Almohad-style minaret added. Within the 1141–1150 window, the empire promoted a unified architectural language in southern Al-Andalus, characterized by geometric sebka decoration, horseshoe arch variants, and standardized proportional systems, forming a recognizable Almohad–Al-Andalus architectural culture.