Aragon is a little known region in the north of Spain. It is almost completely surrounded by mountains with a beautiful stretch of the Pyrenees to the north and the Montes Universales and the mountainous regions of Sierra de Gudar and El Maestazgo to the south.

As well as the scenery a particular highlight of this region is its wealth of Mudejar-style architecture. It has some of the best examples in Spain and the Mudejar architecture of Aragon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sight.

Mudejar architecture is western architecture with a Moorish influence. It came about after the Reconquest in Spain when the Muslims were defeated by the Christians but were allowed to continue living peaceably in the region and skilled Muslim builders were used in the building of many of the buildings of the time. Thus churches came to have minaret style towers associated with them and ceramics and delicate brickwork were used much more than in the traditional building of the time.

Two towns are particularly worth visiting to see Mudejar architecture. These are Zaragoza and Teruel.

Zaragoza is the capital of Aragon and its Aljaferia Palace is very impressive. The Cathedral of la Seo has a Gothic-Mudejar exterior and a Mudejar-style apse. This is one of the buildings of the UNESCO listing.

Zaragoza also has a beautiful Basilica built in the Baroque style – the Basilica de Nuestro Senora del Pilar. This is one of the main pilgrim destinations in all of Spain.

Teruel is famous for its Mudejar towers, often beautifully coloured due to the use of ceramic tiles. The most famous is the Torre de San Salvador.

Also not to be missed in a visit to Teruel is the town’s cathedral which has a wonderful painted ceiling with scenes of medieval life and incorporating lots of Islamic symbols. Its architecture is also in the Mudejar-style.