Inscription:
At the top right: الله (Allah = God).
At the top left: محمد (Muhammad = Prophet Muhammad).
In the center: an open Qur’an, symbolizing divine revelation.
The main text below is written in Arabic script, in a traditional style used for Qur’anic verses and Islamic invocations, Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse), Qur’an 2:255, one of the most important verses in Islam. Displaying Ayat al-Kursi there highlights the importance of Islamic spirituality and calligraphy in daily life during Al-Andalus.
Transcription (Arabic script):
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ
لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ
مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ
وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ
وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ
وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا
وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Translation (English):
"Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence.
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?
He knows what is before them and what will be after them,
and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills.
His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth,
and their preservation tires Him not.
And He is the Most High, the Most Great."
This type of decorative calligraphy is often placed in Muslim homes, mosques, or shops for protection and blessing, as Ayat al-Kursi is believed to safeguard against harm.
Thisis the Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse, Qur’an 2:255) displayed in the Museo Casa Árabe in Cáceres. The Museo Casa Árabe is located in the Judería Vieja, very close to the Ermita de San Antonio, and it showcases the Islamic heritage of Cáceres.
Cáceres was a Muslim stronghold (711–1229), marked by its walls, fortress, and Islamic water systems. After the Christian conquest, it became home to both Jews and Christians, creating the multi-religious city we can still trace today, and many architectural features, inscriptions, and traditions remain.
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The tile in San Antonio shows how the layers of history overlap in Cáceres:
Jewish past: San Antonio as synagogue and Jewish quarter.
Christian transformation: after 1492, devotion to the Virgin.
Present identity: the Virgen de la Montaña as the beloved patroness of Cáceres, celebrated in festivals and represented on ceramic tiles across the old city.
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MURALLA DE CÁCERES: Wall of Cáceres
RESTAURACIÓN FASE 1: Restoration Phase 1
OLIVAR DE LA JUDERÍA – ARCO DE CRISTO: this indicates the section of the walls that was restored:
Olivar de la Judería (the olive grove of the Jewish Quarter, an area near the Judería Vieja).
Arco de Cristo (Christ’s Arch), one of the historic gates of the old city, originally Roman and later part of the medieval wall.
Mº de Cultura – Noviembre 1989: the restoration was carried out by the Spanish Ministry of Culture in November 1989.
At the bottom: official seals/logos of the Spanish Government, Junta de Extremadura, and Ayuntamiento de Cáceres.
The central design: a simple outline of the Cáceres wall, showing the restored section.
Lingscape
