International Conference for Medina Azahara and Islamic cities as World Heritage

Meryan echoes the news on our Cultural Heritage. Thus, between the 10th and 13th of January, Cordoba will once again be a very important focus of Culture on the world stage.

Junta de Andalucía (Regional Government of Andalusia) organizes an international congress of first order under the title “International Conference for Medina Azahara and Islamic cities as World Heritage”. The congress aims to push on with the dossier seeking the inclusion of Medina Azahara in World Heritage List.

We want to support this nomination, which is a lengthy process that requires 4 years. If successful, Medina Azahara will be included in the prestigious UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Now we must to wait until this proposal will also become Spanish Government’s nomination next March. The congress will emphasises again the uniqueness and importance of the Caliphal City. International representatives and specialists will attend this meeting.

A wonderful reunion

Our company have an emotional and artistic bond with Medina Azahara. Since 2001, on occasion of the International Exhibition of “El esplendor de los Omeyas cordobeses”, we included in our catalogue and designs a reproduction of the Fawn of Medina Azahara.

Curiously in that exhibition, where more than 300 pieces from U.K, France, Qatar or Germany were shown in Medina Azahara, a moving reunion took place between the Fawn and Doe Hind.

These two extremely and precious artworks, were once spouts of a pool in a private area. After the destruction of the city in XI century, these pieces stayed together until XIX century, when the Doe vanished to an unknown place.

In 1997 the Doe reappeared and was sold to a private buyer by 4,5 million euros, despite Junta de Andalucía efforts to avoid the sale. The auction took place in Christie’s (London) and nowadays the Doe Hind is exhibited at Museum of Islamic Art of Qatar.

The nice part of the story took place between May and September 2001, when both pieces were displayed together during the exhibition “El esplendor de los Omeyas cordobeses”. But, sadly, when the exhibition ended... the Doe Hind returned to Qatar and one more time, the Fawn stayed alone.

Therefore, we wanted to include in our designs this emblematic piece, but it’s not the only one: The Drawing Room and two decorative slabs with Trees of Life designs were included too in our catalogue between 2001 and 2006. All of them are undeniable beauties and the story that lie behind is worth to be remembered.