My interest in Al-Andalus and what came after was first perked with the novel 'The Lions of Al-Rassan' by Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay. A major theme of the novel is the interplay between bigotry and tolerance. Zaragoza, a city under Muslim rule from the 8th century (around 718) to the 12th century (1118), is a city I longed to visit. However, it was not originally part of our itinerary for Barcelona and Bilbao, until I started researching trains. From Barcelona you can reach Zaragoza by high speed rail in 1 hour and 23 minutes. This inspired me to plan 1 night in Zaragoza and then continue on to Bilbao (slower train) the following day, happily my spouse agreed. 

We arrived in Zaragoza just after noon, the train zipped along at 300 km to 340 km per hour. Having the rest of the day, we visited La Seo and San Pablo and much of the city with ease. In the latter church (San Pablo), upon my inquiry the sole staff person gave an impassioned lecture about Mudéjar architecture, World Heritage status, and the small details within the church I should pay close attention to. As other reviewers mentioned, various non-inscribed examples of Mudéjar architecture are evident in Zaragoza. The staff person at San Pablo ever so slightly admonished UNESCO and the Spanish Government for only recognizing 10 examples, when indeed there are over 100 examples in the region of Aragon. I appreciated the information and obvious enthusiasm for History.

Being Christmas season the Plaza del Pilar was filled with market stalls and holiday festivities. We certainly enjoyed the area, despite being a bit chillier than Barcelona. With much of Zaragoza's sites being easily visited by foot, we walked to both churches by day and night, especially since the interior of San Pablo closed early and then re-opened at 6pm. La Seo was closed for a few hours in the middle of day and then re-opened, the interior is impressive and I listened to much of the self-guided audio tour. We enjoyed our time walking Zaragoza and seeing the two inscribed churches, but declined taking a taxi to go see the Aljafería Palace. With the wonky times and preference for walking, we opted to enjoy the holiday spirit in the heart of Zaragoza. 

The serial components of Mudéjar Architecture that make up this World Heritage site is a testament to a certain degree of tolerance that existed for a few centuries. The Spanish Inquisition put an end to 'tolerating' Muslims or even those who converted and openly persecuted them starting in the late 15th century. Over the next century the existence of the Mudéjar was largely a memory except for the beautiful works that remained.

I will end my review with a particularly memorable quote. “Let us go forward from this place and begin to reclaim our lost land. And whose land will be broken and lost in that claiming?” - The Lions of Al-Rassan

Despite the relatively short stay, our time in Zaragoza was particularly special. The following day we boarded our train and headed off to Bilbao, yet my thoughts lingered on centuries into the past.