In English: Artistic study of the Arab Room of Oporto: neo-islamic art in the Palacio de la Bolsa portuense

The Arab Room of Porto is located in the Stock Exchange building in that city, current headquarters of the Commercial Association of Oporto. This neoclassical monument celebrated its opening in 1891, after a costly works of more than thirty years. Built on top of a burning Franciscan monastery, its spaces '' revivals '' include the Arab Room, neo-islamic usual work of contemporary Portuguese creation in other palaces such as Palacio de Pena in Sintra (Lisboa). These luxury rooms are large ornamental mainly based on the moorish art. In particular, they sought inspiration in the Alhambra in Granada. In the Lisbon case Gothic style plays a major role in the room, very present in the pointed roofs. However, the Arab Room portuense emulates the nasrid Patio de los Leones not bringing together many medieval details.

ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS:

The columns have a polygonal plinth on which the base formed by convex moldings and smooth, embossed with intertwined lines and floral motifs painted stands.

The shaft is decorated divided into two, occupying the bottom of a lower height, and ornamented on the blue sky background, with vegetal figures, often finished in golden lilies, which sometimes also include cabochons, which confers extreme wealth.

Finally, the capitals are an imitation of nasriz of the Alhambra in Granada. Here they appear adorned with ribbons and outstanding schematic leaves, reminiscent of stylized Corinthian. The intense polychrome follows the Andalusian model when the work was kept painted. Upstairs, the cornice not square arises, but polygonal, unlike the Granada work. Also absent from Arabic calligraphy. The reason for scallops, marine character, is an approach that avoids the naturalism of the original Islamic art, as are representing an animate being, the bivalve. It is also used in the Alhambra by contact with Christianity, although portuense example is more realistic.

The arches have nothing to do with the art of Muhammad. Concave arches are depressed, although they appear angrelados, recalling the famous Patio de los Leones in the Alhambra as resounding as do the pillars with grotesques and imitation modillones that resemble the originals with Arabic calligraphy.

These arches are supported by pillars with corbels and grotesques.

Large circular windows that honor the gothic rose windows break into this room, having nothing to do with Islamic art. They are decorated with stained glass windows in which lilies and other schematic species, red, blue, gold and white colors with preponderance listed.

The grandstand shown at the top is also a reminder of European medieval art. It serves intersection between the room and the ceiling, polygonal, concave, which is connected with columns that mimic the bottom. The coffered ceiling is complemented by small openings in the shape of the Star of Solomon; a typical reason in Islam. Additionally it is shown with large scalloped which note the taste for Arabic. The gallery has an ironwork balcony and double doors with polilobulada skylight, which is a type of common access in the West.

HERALDRY:

,  
The gateway appears topped with a heraldic motif of the double shield of Portugal, which are five azure bordura escusones and seven castles, symbolizing the defeat of the Muslims and other potential enemies, and double coat of Oporto, which the Virgin Mary appears and Child protecting a castle that symbolizes the city protected. This shield of four images also corresponds to the current Porto Football Club.

Finally, this space is also very interesting Arabic calligraphy, which is distributed only in heraldic shields and brackets. Copy the Alhambra present in the literature, although it is logical that here the rich and exensos poems are not included, but for example the shield of Kingdom of Granada ('' only sovereign is God ''). This would stand on the roof.

''Allah''; word inscribed in a star of Solomon

Other religious brackets, and details of the surrounding ornamentation in gilded wood: