An Old Masjid???

Salaam aleikum!
O Altinho-Ermida de São Gens/Nossa Senhora da Guadalupe in Serpa

This is one of those contructions that if it didn't have the Christian cross I would swear it was a Mosque, notice the 2 round domes, the archs and even the tower of the minaret!!! I don't know when exactly this one was built but it seems to me another Christian Church built on top of an old Mosque as it was popular to do at the time of the reconquest. Not Only Serpa was an Area deeply into Moorsih/Muslim territory but also it was an important centre of commerce of the Alentejo. Nowadays there is a Geodesic mark on top of the minaret people seem to believe that it wasn't a minaret but a watchtower (in portuguese: torre de atalaia) to be honest I've got my doubts...It looks really an old masjid to me...check the Photos

Some posters of Activities related to the Gharb

Salaam Aleikum Wa Rhamatullah Wa Barakatu!
This is a small collection of posters of activities related to the Al-Gharb Al-Andaluz.
The First is the announcement (and the cover as well) of the collection of stamps by the Portuguese Post that celebrate the great Al-Gharb Al -Andaluz and the deep marks that were left in and outside ourselves.




this second one is an archeology course on the Gharb Al-Andaluz...

This is the Classic Mértola Islamic Festival that happens every 2 years. 2009 is the next year and it should be around May!

This is an exposition of islamic ceramics from the small town of Cacela in the south of Portugal

This is a Poster of the 6th Archeologists Convention on the Gharb Al Andaluz...

happening in Silves (Xelb)

This is the poster of an homage to the great muslim geographer Al'Idrisi and to the historian Mahmoud Ismaili by 2 towns in the south of Portugal.

A Mix of Amulets, Coins Architecture and stamps...

Continuing with the architecture here we have the Moçarabe church of Lourosa possibly a mosque before:

Another Morabit of Ferreira do alentejo nowadays a small chapel.

The New mosque of Odivelas (Wadi velas'?)

Aisha Sidique.

The CTT company the Portuguese Post Company decided to honour the glourious Al'Gharb Al Andaluz with a collection of commemorative stamps named "Arabic Lisbon-Lisboa Arabe":

here´s one of them:

And here´s the whole collection of 6:

these next are details of amulets and coins from the Islamic period kept in Museum and private collections...

this one is from the Museum in Serpa:

These are coins in a private collection'they are from the almohad period

More coins, these ones coined in Xelb from the almohad period.

An interesting painting based on a poem by Al'Mutamid the muslim Poet and King of Baja (Beja) who was born in Xelb (Silves) and where he spent most of his Childhood.

the translation would be something like:

"Give my salute oh Abu Bakr to those dear places of Silves and tell me if they miss me as much as I miss them..."

An interesting inscription in Évora (Al'Yabura)

a muslim amulet with some Quranic writings to give protection to its user.

The Moorish Architecture and the People

This is a selection of some interesting muslim/moorish architecture of Portugal (AL'Gharb'Al'Andaluz)

This is Évora, an important city of the Gharb Al'Andaluz:

Castro da Cola was an old celtic village with later islamic occupation as the archeological findings seem to demonstrate:

Another perspective of the Castro da Cola.

A Picture of the Muslim Castle of Monsarraz:

This is the Moorish well of Alhos Vedros:

Another Moorish Castle, this time Noudar, Close to Barrancos by the Spanish border:

A Detail of the Noudar´s Castle:

Castro de Marraxique (note the typical north african name similar to Marrakesh)

The islamic pathwalk of São Brás de Alportel:

The Arabic Room of The Oporto Stock Exchange:

The Moorish house of Óbidos:

The Awarded (Prémio Valmor) Moorish house in Lisboa (Al'Ushbuna):

The Islamic southern town of Cacela, where the old muslim wall still exists:

The Classic "Praça de Touros do Campo Pequeno" built in a imposing moorish arquitecture style:

The Moorish Castle of Aljezur, probably one of the places well known to the great Ibn Qasi (ra)

The Muslim well of Silves (Xelb) today part of the islamic museum there.

A detail of the Moorish Castle of Al'Shantarin (nowadays Santarém):

A classical arabic door at the Castle of "Castelo Rodrigo" in the North of the Gharb Al Andaluz.

An Amazing detail of the Medina of Olhão (Al'Ayn-the Eye). note the typical north'african moorish maze of cubic buildings in a harmoniously chaotic pattern.

Coimbra the entrance to the Medina. Still called nowadays "The Medina´s Gate":

A new building in Xelb (Silves) which will house the "House of Islamic Culture"-this is Portugal waking up to his islamic heritage! Alhamdullilah!

Same building an outside perspective:









And again:

In Al'Sintara (Sintra) there is this beautiful building just in front of the masonic Quinta da Regaleira in a typical arabic fashion with some arabic writing at the entrance. beautiful!:

The Oporto Moorish House:

And Alfama one of the classic old moorish neigbourhoods in Old Lisbon. According to some the name means "warm springs":




















A reference to the architecture without a reference to the people would be empty....

old working class ladies from the southern province of alentejo, one of the areas with stronger islamic presence. note the similarities between their traditional dresscode and the shia muslim dresscode.

a young portuguese lady with the typical portuguese "hijab" from the very same province as the old ladies in the previous photos.

Coats of Arms of towns and Villages with Moorish designs

Casa Do Alentejo em Lisboa ( Al-Ushbuna)

The Casa do Alentejo is a meeting place for the people from the historic province of Alentejo (além Tejo = beyond the Tagus) who live in Lisbon,This beautiful building is hidden behind a rather unprepossessing exterior.

The main function of the Casa do Alentejo is to introduce the country region to the capital and to cultivate its unique culture. The people from Alentejo moved into the Palácio Alverda in 1932.

The building is notable on account of its unusual interior. The palace dates from the last quarter of the 17th C., but its current appearance is a result of considerable alterations carried out in 1918. The Moorish looking covered inner courtyard with a small fountain in the center is impressive. Copies of the original architectural features give some impression of the Arab influenced Mudejar style which is to be found in southern Spain and Portugal particularly in southern Alentejo.

Enjoy these beautiful pictures which continuously remind me of Alhambra.

toponímia árabe em Portugal

Porta da Vila in Faro فارو

This is a list from wikipedia of names of villages, cities and councils from Portugal that derive directly from the Arabic

Esta é uma lista de nomes de cidades, vilas e freguesias portuguesas em árabe (sendo que em algumas situações o nome actual deriva directamente do topónimo árabe).
Povoação portuguesa
Nome árabe
Alandroal
Albarraque
Albarrol
Albufeira
al-Buhera
Alburitel
Alcabideche
al-Qibdhaq
Alcácer do Sal
al-Qasr-al-Baja ou al-Qasr abu Danis (قصر أبي دانس)
Alcáçovas
al-Qasba (fortificação)
Alcafache
Alcafozes
Alcains
al-Kanisa (igreja)
Alcanede
Alcanena
Alcântara
al-Qântara (ponte)
Alcantarilha
diminutivo de al-Qântara (ponte)
Alcaria
al-Qariya (vila)
Alcobaça
al-Qubasha (carneiro); também pode derivar do latim Helicobatia
Alcobertas
Alcochete
Alcoentre
Alcofra
Alcoitão
Alcongosta
Alcorochel
Alcôrrego
Alcoutim
derivado do latim Alcoutinium, manteve-se durante a ocupação muçulmana
Alcôrrego
Alfama
al-Hamma (fonte, lugar de banhos)
Alfarelos
Alfarrobeira
Alfeizerão
Alfena
Alferce
Alferrarede
Alfornelos
Algarve
al-Gharbe (o ocidente)
Algés
al-Jeis
Algeriz
Algoz
al-Ghuz (ﺰ‎ﻐ‎ﻠ‎ا )
Algueirão
al-Gar (gruta, caverna)
Alhandra
al-Hamma (fonte, lugar de banhos)
Aljazede
Aljezur
al-Jazirah (ﺮ‎ﺰ‎ﺠ‎ﻠ‎ا ilha, península)
Aljustrel
al-Lustr
Aljubarrota
Almacave
al-Mugabar (cemitério)
Almaceda
Almada
Hisn al-Madin (حصن المعدن, literalmente castelo [hisn] da cidade [al-Madin])
Almancil
Almargem do Bispo
al-Marje (prado)
Almagreira
Almeirim
al-Mairim (talvez um antropónimo)
Almendra
Almendres
Almodôvar
al-Mudawwar (المدوّر)
Almofala
Almoster
al-Monasterium (contracção do artigo definido árabe al- com o substantivo latino monasterium)
Alpalhão
Alpiarça
Alportel
Alqueva
Alqueidão
al-Qaiatun (tenda; passagem estreira)
Alvados
Alvaiázere
al-Baiaq (falcoeiro)
Alvalade
al-Balat (campo murado)
Alvelos
Alvendre
Alverca
al-Birka ou al-Borka (pântano)
Alviobeira
Alvito
Alvite
Alvites
Alviela
Alvor
Albur
Alvorge
al-burj, (البرج, a torre)
Alvorninha
Arrábida
Atianha
Azeitão
Azinhaga
Beja
al-Bajah az-Zayt (باجة الزيت)
Bensafrim
Benfica
Bobadela
abu 'Abd Allah (أبو عبد الله, filho do servo de Allah)
Cacela
Hisn-Qastalla
Cacém / Santiago do Cacém
al-Qashim (divisão)
Caia
al-Qaya
Caneças
al-Kanisa (igreja)
Castro Marim
al-Qasruh
Coimbra
al-Qulumriyya (قلمريّة), ou mais raramente Kuwīmbrā (كويمبرا)
Elvas
al-Bash
Évora
al-Yabura (يابرة)
Façalamim
Actualmente, Santiago da Guarda. O nome anterior, muçulmano, significa "Foice do Amim".
Faro
al-Farun ou al-Harun (فارو)al-Uqshunuba [Ossónoba] (أخشونبة)Shantamariyyat al-Gharb [Santa Maria do Ocidente/Santa Maria do Algarve] (شنتمريّة الغرب)
Fátima
al-Fatimah (فاطمة)
Idanha
al-Antaniya
Juromenha
al-Julumaniya
Lagos
al-Zawiya
Lisboa
al-Ushbuna (الأشبونة) raramente al-Lishbuna (لشبونة)
Loulé
al-'Ulyâ (ﺎ‎ﻴ‎ﻠ‎ﻌ‎ﻟ‎ﺍ‎)
Marachique
Marajiq
Marvão
Marwan (مروان), de Ibn Marwan
Massamá
al-Massamah (que está no alto; lugar onde se toma boa água)
Mértola
al-Martulah (مارتلة)
Messejana
al-Masjana (cárcere, prisão)
Monsanto
Munt Shiyun (do latim Mons Sanctus)
Moscavide
al-Masqba
Moura
al-Manijah ou al-Maura
Odeceixe
Odeleite
wadi-Lait
Odemira
al-Uadhra
Odiáxere
Odivelas
wadi-Bala'a
Olhão
al-Hain
Oriola
Uryūlâ (أريولة), Ūryūlâ (أوريولة)
Paderne
Bantar (ﺮ‎ﻄ‎ﻨ‎ﺑ‎)
Palmela
Balmallah (em nome de Allah, بسملة)
Portimão
Burj Munt (Monte da Torre)
Porto
Burtuqal (برتقال), ou mais raramente, Ūbūrtū (أوبورتو)
Queluz
Qâlluz (vale da amendoeira)
Ribeira de Alcalamouque
Sacavém
aš-Šaqaban (شقبان)
Sagres
Saqris
Santa Iria de Azóia
al-Zawiya (الزاوية) [al-Taytal]
Santarém
as-Shantariyn ou Santaryn (شنترين) ([cidade de] Santa Iria / Santa Irene)
São Brás de Alportel
Šanbras (ﺲ‎ﺮ‎ﺒ‎ﻨ‎ﺷ‎)
São Miguel de Alcainça
al-Kanisa (igreja)
Segura
Šaqūrâ (شقورة)
Serpa
Shirba
Silves
as-Shilb (شلب)
Sintra
as-Shantara
Tavira
at-Tabira
Terena
at-Talanna
Tunes
at-Tunis (تونس)
Vila Franca de Xira
as-Shirush
Regiões:
al-Gharb al-Andalus , o ocidente (garb) da Península Ibérica (andalus). Deu origem aos nomes do Algarve e Andaluzia.
Rios:
al-Uadi-Ana, Rio Anas (Uadi=Rio em Árabe): Odiana / Guadiana
al-Uadi-Taghr, Rio Tejo