The 9th-Century Mosque Turned into a Rábida

The site began as a musalla, a building whose walls were erected in the late 9th century at the highest part of the archaeological site. During the second half of the following century, when Abderramán III pacified the country and restructured the territory of Sharq Al-Ándalus, he developed a policy to control and defend the Mediterranean coast against potential ideological and political penetrations from the Fatimids. He ordered the construction of a series of rábidas, and the mosque at this site was transformed into a rábida.

The complex is formed by exceptional architectural cells-oratory separated by streets or open spaces, where a community of Muslims dedicated their lives to spiritual retreat. Numerous objects related to daily activities are abundant, such as lamps for lighting, pots for cooking, and jars. A group of graffiti on the walls of one of the cells stands out as a result of visits by pilgrims to the monastery.

Located in the dunes of Guardamar del Segura, about a kilometer north of the town, the site is of great scientific value. It is the first rábida discovered in Spain and the first time such a building can be studied archaeologically. Along with the ribat of Susa in Tunisia, founded by the Aglabids in 821, these are the oldest preserved rábidas in the Occidente Islámico. The site remains under the management of the Generalitat Valenciana.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons