The Garden as a Symbol of Power: Protocol at the Caliphal Court of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān III in Madīnat al-Zahrāʾ
Esther Lupón González
Lecturer, Centro Superior de Diseño Hacer Creativo, Zaragoza
PhD candidate, Department of Art History, University of Zaragoza
The medieval Islamic garden recreated the Qur’anic paradise: a lush enclosure crossed by rivers and streams where aromatic plants and fruit-laden, shade-giving trees flourish. Its canonical form, the chahar bagh or cruciform garden —evoking the four rivers of Eden— was adopted by Caliph ʿAbd al-Raḥmān III (929–961) in the palatine city of Madīnat al-Zahrāʾ, near Córdoba. There, the Upper Garden formed a visual extension of the Audience Hall, the celebrated Salón Rico, core of caliphal protocol. Embassies arriving at the Umayyad court traversed the city along a choreographed route engineered to impress and overawe through measured spectacle and political theatre. In this way the caliph displayed mastery over the natural elements and astonished his guests with experiences few rivals could equal. The murmur of fountains, the fragrant air of the gardens, and the glittering play of water heightened the sovereign’s majesty during audiences and celebrations.
