Spain / Al-Andalus: A door-knocker from Islamic Seville, c. 10th century

After the conquest of Hispalis by the Moors in 712, Seville was taken by the Muslims. It was capital for the Kings of the Umayyad Caliphate, the Almoravid dynasty, and the Almohad dynasty (from Arabic الموحدون al-Muwahhidun, i.e., 'the monotheists' or 'the Unitarians'), from the 8th to 13th centuries. In 1248 forces of King Fernando III of Castile won victory in Seville's chapter of the peninsula's Catholic Reconquista (reconquest).

The Moorish urban influences continued and are very present in contemporary Seville, a legacy appreciated by scholars and travelers. However, most of the Moorish aesthetic buildings actually belong to the Mudéjar style, Islamic art developed under Christian rule.

Some original elements remain, including public structures, the urban fabric in the historic district, and large sections of the fortified city wall, as well as parts of the Alcázar and the Cathedral, including its bell tower, the Giralda, built up from the Minaret of the original grand mosque. The Alcázar and the Cathedral are both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Archivo de Indias.

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