Mudejar identity
In the heart of the Grío river valley, between the Vicor and Algairén mountain ranges, Tobed has become the gateway to the Mudejar style not only because of the imposing church of the Virgin, one of the most genuine Mudejar monuments in Aragon and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, but also because the town has turned this unique style into a territorial project for the future that encompasses history, art, education, landscape, traditions and people and which has made it possible to use these resources to generate identity and wealth.
An example is the creation of the Espacio Mudéjar Mahoma Calahorrí, a museum of the history of the Mudejar installed in the Palacio de los canónigos and which shows the Mudejar art of Aragon and the social and cultural content in which it developed.
The town also stands out for the preservation of several traditions linked to Islamic trades such as pottery and ceramics, with the recovery of part of the Obradores neighbourhood, where around 50 workshops were once in operation, with common work spaces such as the balseros or some of the kilns.
In the heart of the Grío river valley, between the Vicor and Algairén mountain ranges, Tobed has become the gateway to the Mudejar style not only because of the imposing church of the Virgin, one of the most genuine Mudejar monuments in Aragon and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, but also because the town has turned this unique style into a territorial project for the future that encompasses history, art, education, landscape, traditions and people and which has made it possible to use these resources to generate identity and wealth.
An example is the creation of the Espacio Mudéjar Mahoma Calahorrí, a museum of the history of the Mudejar installed in the Palacio de los canónigos and which shows the Mudejar art of Aragon and the social and cultural content in which it developed.
The town also stands out for the preservation of several traditions linked to Islamic trades such as pottery and ceramics, with the recovery of part of the Obradores neighbourhood, where around 50 workshops were once in operation with common work spaces such as the balseros or some of their kilns.
The paradigm of the Mudejar fortress church:
UNESCO WorldHeritage Site
The church of the Virgin of Tobed is one of the architectural jewels of Mudejar art. It is an archetypal church-fortress that began to be built in 1356 as a result of the influence of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, with the patronage of Pedro IV of Aragon, the kings of Castile, the archbishop of Zaragoza, Lope Fernández de Luna and the pontiff Benedict XIII; it also had the best Mudejar masters of the time: Mahoma Calahorri and Mahoma Rami.
The power of its exterior with its compact volumetry, punctuated by turrets and buttresses, and its impressive main façade with abundant decoration in tracery and two-colour glazed ceramics contrasts with the delicacy and elegance of its interior, magnificent with its walls covered with decorative stucco and hollows decorated with carved and fretwork plasterwork in aljez.
This church thus represents the concept of Mudejar space in its purest state, with spaces built from variations in light. Intimate and evocative spaces, where nuanced light brings beautifully decorated walls to life. The interior completes its catalogue with a carved and polychrome wooden alfarje that currently serves as a choir loft at the foot of the nave, leaving the Baroque organ to take centre stage.
The influence of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Tobed is visible throughout the town centre, which, although striking for its simplicity and “white village” appearance, preserves important buildings from the modern period, such as the Lonja, the parish church of San Pedro and the Palacio de los Canónigos, also known as the Encomienda, from the Baroque period.
The town also conserves other elements of interest such as the tower of the Islamic castle and the hermitage of San Valentín on the crest of the Algairén mountain range.
The church of the Virgin of Tobed is one of the architectural jewels of Mudejar art. It is an archetypal church-fortress that began to be built in 1356 as a result of the influence of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, with the patronage of Pedro IV of Aragon, the kings of Castile, the archbishop of Zaragoza, Lope Fernández de Luna and the pontiff Benedict XIII; it also had the best Mudejar masters of the time: Mahoma Calahorri and Mahoma Rami.
The power of its exterior with its compact volumetry, punctuated by turrets and buttresses, and its impressive main façade with abundant decoration in tracery and two-colour glazed ceramics contrasts with the delicacy and elegance of its interior, magnificent with its walls covered with decorative stucco and hollows decorated with carved and fretwork plasterwork in aljez.
This church thus represents the concept of Mudejar space in its purest state, with spaces built from variations in light. Intimate and evocative spaces, where nuanced light brings beautifully decorated walls to life. The interior completes its catalogue with a carved and polychrome wooden alfarje that currently serves as a choir loft at the foot of the nave, leaving the Baroque organ to take centre stage.
The influence of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Tobed is visible throughout the town centre, which, although striking for its simplicity and “white village” appearance, preserves important buildings from the modern period, such as the Lonja, the parish church of San Pedro and the Palacio de los Canónigos, also known as the Encomienda, from the Baroque period.
The town also conserves other elements of interest such as the tower of the Islamic castle and the hermitage of San Valentín on the crest of the Algairén mountain range.
The contents and renewal of news are carried out in collaboration with the Tobed Town Council through the Mahoma Calahorri Museum.
*This collaboration was developed within the framework of the Tobed Town Council project, financed by the Ministry of Culture and Sport in its 2020 grants for local entities with World Heritage inscribed by UNESCO.
Territorio Mudéjar Network
The city council has been a founding member of Territorio Mudéjar since 13 September 2018.
It is part of the board of directors of the entity as President.
More information
City Council 976 629 101
www.tobed.es
Association for the Integral Development of the Calatayud and Aranda Regions
galcar.es
VISIT TOBED
976 633 296
http://tobedpatrimoniomundial.es/ http://tobedpatrimoniomundial.es/
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Turismo de Aragón
turismodearagon.com
Turismo Comarca Comunidad de Calatayud
comarcalatayud.com
Centro de Estudios Bilbilitanos
cebilbilitanos.com
Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Tobed
Monuments | See the project
Pedagogy | See the project
Podcast | See the project
Mudetrad Project | See the project
Mudéjar Wood | See the project
Rural Identities | See the project
Mudéjar World Heritage 3D | See the project
Mudéjar Plaster | See the project
Mudéjar and Euclidean geometry | See the project
Mudéjar didactic, the guide | See the project
Preventive urbanism | See the project
“Circular” Family Walks | See the project
The wall as dermis. La luz en el Mudéjar | See the project
Mudéjar Smart 3D | See the project
Contextos sonoros y arquitectura mudéjar | See the project
Projects Territorio Mudéjar in Tobed
Recognition and dissemination of traditional architecture through a series of routes.
