El+Ribat(English)

This page has been created by Tania Rodrigez and Raquel Martinez.

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A Ribat is a military and religious community that has the function of working as a fortress. It has the function of working as a fortress and the refuge for the warriors, but is is also an arab monastery, used to pray and for the [|Holy War].
 * What is a Ribat?**

The Ribat was built in a hill located on the left of the [|Manzanares] River, in the place where currently is the [|Royal Palace of Madrid]. It was built there because form there the muslims could watch the Manzanares waterway, being the defence for Toledo, the [|Visigoth] capital.
 * Where was it built?**

The construction took place in an unkown date placed between the 860 and the 880 in the 9th century. After the Christian reconquest, the Ribat was extended, and it became the [|Royal Alcazar of Madrid], but in the year 1734, it burnt and later it was again extended, until it became the Royal Palace of Madrid
 * When was built?**

The [|Emir] [|Muhammad I] ordered it to be built, that although knowing that he wasn't the one that ruled over the [|Islamic Empire], he ruled over Al-Andalus, becase the [|Caliph], that was the one that ruled over The Islamic Empire, couldn´t rule pver [|Al-Andalus] too, and named Muhammad I Emir to rule over the territories thar the had on the [|Iberian Peninsula].
 * Who said to built it?**

The Ribat was built for using it as a fortress and for avoing been conquered by the Christians, because the muslims took refuge there. The Ribat had two uses. One fo them was for using it as a fortress and a vigilance position, and the other use was to use it as an arab monastery for praying and for the holy war. The vigilance position was very useful, due to that they could watch the Manzanares waterway, and in that way they could see if someone was going to attack them
 * For what was it built and for what was used?**

The Ribat has cahnged and now it's the Royal Palace of Madrid. The Royal Palace of Madrid is used for being visited by the people that want to know it, but in especial ocasions, [|The Royal Family] stay there for a few days if an important event is coming, and it is also a place of reception for some ambassadors.
 * For what is it now used?**

The Ribat was a castle-fortress located where currently is the Royal Palace of Madrid, it had a small walled enclosure. It was named "Mayrit" that means "land rich in water" and occupied a surface of 9 hectares and 2km of wall that had 6 metres of thickness. The small enclosure had three areas: in the north was the castle-fortress form which we can sense that had a rectangular plant with a big patio in the centre. In the south was the medina, with the civil population, that gave the warriors all the needed, such us clothes, food, weapons... etc. And finally, in the east was the [|Mosque].
 * Description of the building.**