“Cities of Light:” The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain

In Announcements, by , on October 27th, 2015

The Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies program is proud to present the documentary “Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain” on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., in Dunleavy Hall, Room 127.

Over a thousand years ago, the sun-washed lands of southern Spain were home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews living together and flourishing. Their culture and beliefs intertwined and the knowledge of the ancients was gathered and reborn. Here were the very seeds of the Renaissance. But this world too quickly vanished. Within a few centuries, the fragile union of these people dissipated like smoke. This documentary explores the causes that destroyed the one civilization of pluralism and interfaith cooperation that for a few centuries lit the Dark Ages in Medieval Europe.