Mozarabic art is an early artistic style of the pre-Romanesque period that emerged in southern Al-Andalus and the northern kingdom of Leon. It was developed by Christians living in the Muslim territories after the Arab Conquest of the Iberian Peninsula (711). Although the Cordoban Caliphate cultivated the coexistence (Christians/Jews/Muslims), Christian monks in Cordoba who immigrated to Leon (9-11C) constructed Mozarabic churches, whose style was fused with Andalusian, classical Roman, and local building traditions. Despite certain differences, the Mozarabic blend combines Christian Northern and Muslim Southern influences, sharing a Mediterranean heritage due to medieval perceptions of their common roots. Mozarabic architecture showcases the Muslim imprint and local origins, characterised by (i) construction techniques, (ii) the sobriety of exterior decoration, (iii) diversity in the floor plans, (iv) horseshoe arch, (v) alfiz, (vi) columns crowned by Corinthian capitals with stylised, vegetal motifs, and (vii) the eaves that extend outwards and rest on top of corbels of lobes. In the 20th century, academic debates about the term “Mozarabic” arose, proposing its substitute for “Repopulation” and a confusing understanding of Mosaic architecture. Questions arise about Islamic forms and Christian ideas in San Miguel de Escalada (913) and other Visigothic churches, whether it is a syncretic culture and its movement in Spain from Islamic South to Christian North. This paper examines the development of the Mozarabic forms, underlining the origins of horseshoe arches and vegetal arabesques in sacred landscapes. It traces from Cordoba to Leon and Moissac, evoking the Byzantine heritage that influenced Andalucian Islamic architecture.
Keywords: Mozarab churches, Horseshoe arch, Leon-Toledo, San Miguel de Escalada, Islamic heritage