Al-Bustān: Recreational Estates in the Islamic West and Sicily—Architectures and Spaces of Prestige as Symbols of Power
A special issue of Arts (ISSN 2076-0752).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 3042
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Muqarnas decoration; Western/Eastern Islamic art from the beginning to 15th century; Andalusi art; Sharq al-Andalus; Mardanishi art
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: western Islamic architecture and archaeology; Andalusi archaeology; Sharq al-Andalus; Mardanishi architecture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are grateful for the opportunity to guest edit this Special Issue of the Arts journal devoted to “Al-Bustān: Recreational Estates in the Islamic West and Sicily—Architectures and Spaces of Prestige as Symbols of Power”.
Historically, almunias or pleasure estates (al-Bustān) were not only places of leisure and recreation for the urban elite but also agricultural and livestock farms that provided significant economic benefits to their owners. Their establishment was a display of power and prestige, and their architecture reflected the status of their promoters; this fact explains why some of the most well-known examples in the Islamic West and Sicily preserve monumental remains of the highest caliber in their palaces, pools, and walls. Examples of some of these almunias include Genoardo and Favara in Palermo, Agdal and Menara in Marrakech, Aljafería in Zaragoza, Castillejo de Monteagudo, or Generalife in Granada—all founded during the Middle Ages.
The aim of this Special Issue is to share findings from recent excavations with the scientific community, along with research conducted through the exploration of written sources and architectural and artistic analyses. Additionally, works related to the study of the architectural typologies used in the almunias, their potential origins in Greco-Roman antiquity, their remaking during the Middle Ages, and their transferal to the Renaissance will be presented.
Prof. Dr. Alicia Carrillo
Dr. Julio Navarro Palazón
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Al-Bustān
- belvedere
- qubba
- botanical gardens
- Nymphaeum
- pools
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