''Alfarje'' (meaning "paneled ceiling" in Spanish) is a type of horizontal wooden ceiling primarily found in

Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

(or

Moorish The term Moor is an exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a single, distinct or self-defi ...

) architecture and

Mudéjar architecture Mudéjar were Muslims who remained in Iberia in the Late Middle Ages, late medieval period following the Reconquista, Christian reconquest. It is also a term for Mudéjar art, which was greatly influenced by Islamic art, but produced typically b ...

. The word derives from

Andalusi Arabic Andalusi Arabic or Andalusian Arabic () was a variety or varieties of Arabic spoken mainly from the 8th to the 15th century in Al-Andalus, the regions of the Iberian Peninsula under the Muslim rule. Arabic spread gradually over the centuries ...

''al-farsh'', meaning "bed", related to

Classical Arabic Classical Arabic or Quranic Arabic () is the standardized literary form of Arabic used from the 7th century and throughout the Middle Ages, most notably in Umayyad Caliphate, Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphate, Abbasid literary texts such as poetry, e ...

''farsh'' (فرش), meaning "tapestry". The ceiling structure is made through a series of beams called girders, sometimes intricately carved and stylized with geometric patterns. Typically, such ceilings are employed when they support a floor above that can be walked on. One decorative technique that creates geometric patterns by nailing and interlacing pieces of wood onto a flat ceiling is known as ''ataujía'' in Spanish (adjective form: ''ataujerado/ataujerada''). Examples of such ornamental ceilings are found in the

Alhambra The Alhambra (, ; ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Muslim world, Islamic world. Additionally, the ...

Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...

, and the same technique is also found in other types of woodwork from the same period. Other notable buildings that have ''alfarje'' ceilings include the Alcázar of Seville, the Mosque of Cordoba, the Church of San Millán in

Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...

, and the Aljafería Palace of

Zaragoza Zaragoza (), traditionally known in English as Saragossa ( ), is the capital city of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributaries, the ...

. It is also found in the ceilings of many convents and churches in central

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, where the influence of the Spanish Mudéjar style is apparent.

References

{{Reflist Architecture in Spain Ceilings Moorish architecture Mudéjar architecture Islamic architectural elements