It is funny that the last review of this WHS is my own from 2014 about Zaragoza. And now, ten years later, after having completed this serial WHS, I can report on my visit to Teruel. And of course, the question arises which of the two cities is the more worthwhile destination? Both have their highlights and complement each other well. Zaragoza stands out with the Aljafería Palace and its painted wooden ceilings, typical elements of the Mudéjar style. In Teruel, it's all about the bell towers, or more precisely, their exterior decorations.

Four examples of these Mudéjar towers make up the Teruel part of this WHS. The exterior of these towers is almost entirely covered with geometric ornaments. These decorations made of red brick and glazed tiles immediately captivated me.
The best place to start your tour of Teruel is the Torre de El Salvador. You can climb the tower, which in fact is two towers, one inside the other, with the staircase between the walls. The tower houses the Centro de Interpretación del Mudéjar, in three rooms you can learn about the Mudéjar style and the history of Teruel. And from the top, you have a nice view over the city and to the other three Mudéjar towers.
You will also learn about the legend of the construction of El Salvador and its twin San Martin. Two Muslim architects, Abdala and Omar, are said to have competed for the heart and love of the beautiful maiden Zoraida. The one who would build the more magnificent tower would also marry Zoraida. The competition ended in favour of the Torre de El Salvador, because the Torre de San Martín was a little leaning. However, I liked the Torre de San Martin (photo) better, also because it is almost free-standing on a large square and so you can study the details of the façade very well. But my appreciation has come too late: legend has it that Omar, the architect of San Martin, jumped to his death from the top of his tower.

In Islam, the pictorial representation of humans and animals is strictly forbidden, and so Muslim architects have become masters of ornamental decoration. However, the Mudéjars did not strictly adhere to this restriction. The coffered ceiling of the Catedral de Teruel is richly decorated with paintings of religious (Christian) scenes, craftsmen, faces, animals and fantastic creatures. However, as Els pointed out, you cannot see the details of the ceiling with the naked eye, so binoculars would be helpful. Otherwise, the interior is rather plain, so again the tower as the most striking element, here with an octagonal lantern on top. Incidentally, the imposing portal right next to it is in the Neo-Mudéjar style, finished at the beginning of the 20th century.

And finally, the Iglesia de San Pedro. The exterior of the entire church is in the Mudejar style, with the apse with its six small towers being the most striking feature. The interior is also worth seeing. With a combined ticket, you can visit the church, the cloister, the Mausoleum Amantes (Mausoleum of the Lovers, another Teruel legend) and, optionally, also the tower. However, the tower can only be visited as part of a guided tour (in Spanish only). The interior of the tower is not a must-see, the staircase is a modern construction and the view is no better or worse than from the Torre de El Salvador. If you only want to climb one tower, I would definitely recommend El Salvador.

In 2017, I was able to visit the other three extensions in Tobed, Calatayud and Cervera de la Cañada on the occasion of a business meeting in Zaragoza. My favourite of these was the façade of Santa Maria in Tobed, but the interior is also worth seeing. However, it taks 3 hours (only driving) from Zaragoza and back to visit all three locations.

And now back to the question: Teruel or Zaragoza? As mentioned at the beginning, both have their qualities and the extension in 2001 was justified in my opinion. Zaragoza is probably the more entertaining city, but in terms of Mudéjar style, I would rank Teruel higher. In any case, the ten sites of this WHS are examples that Islam and Christianity can be harmoniously reconciled, at least in art and architecture.