Casa Al-Andalus
European Erasmus School - Casa Al-Andalus is an educational and cultural association of teachers for teachers around the world.
Casa Al-Andalus
European Erasmus School – Casa Al-Andalus
Welcome to European Erasmus School – Casa Al-Andalus! A timeless place in Spain with an exclusive Andalusian flavor in the city of Vélez-Málaga. Located in the touristic Costa del Sol (Sun Coast), Casa Al-Andalus is a place of traditions, arts, culture, and legends. This is where we teach the Erasmus+ courses for teachers in Spain.
Enjoy and learn with us discovering a new land of experiences in a traditional Andalusian house full of History, legends and Arts inspired in an Andalusian unique culture built by Jews, Christians, Arabic, and Berber Muslims which after 1462 incorporated the Romani people from Rajasthan and Punjab in India more known in Spain as “Gitanos” who had a big influence in folklore and Andalusian music.
The combination of all those traditions, and peoples created a unique flourish new culture in the world that originated the Flamenco dance and music, considered a cultural World Heritage by UNESCO, as well as the great building of the Alhambra in Granada, the Mosque of Cordoba, or the Royal Alcázars of Seville.
Al-Andalus represents the most unknown mysterious and fascinating period of European and Spanish history, from which we could learn a lot of important lessons in our current times. Al-Andalus was a period of coexistence, peace, and dialogue, a time of knowledge, science, and philosophy as well as a moment of discrimination, persecutions, conflicts, violence, wars, and terror. What is the message of Al-Andalus to our XXI century? What is its message and legacy to the generations of our time? We help you to listen and learn. Our objective is to make known the richness of Andalusian culture.
The Key’s Romance
According to a lost popular folk song “The Key’s Romance” (El Romance de la Llave) the famous philosopher, Averroes was living as a refugee for a brief time nearby the suburbs of the city of Ballix (the current city of Vélez-Málaga) during the period of his exile when he was stigmatized and suffered persecution because of his books against fundamentalism.
It is said that he was accommodated with his youngest daughter Fatima in a big house out of the walls of a rich Christian family. Fatima fell in love with the young son of her guest and they used to meet in secret under the moon in the hidden gardens.
When persecutions against Mozarabs (Andalusian Christians) became worse with the triumph of the most orthodox and fundamentalist ulemas, the Mozarab noble family was forced to escape and get them safely in a desperate journey to Italy where they had some relatives with the hope of coming back in a better situation. At the time, Averroes planed to get refuge in Marrakesh.
The Mozarab family couldn’t take with them all their fortune, so they decided to bury it including the key to the house in a well. But the young Mozarab being afraid about the future of his beloved Fatima decided to tell her the exact place of the treasure to let her and her father have enough money to arrive safely to Marrakesh.
Moved by such action of love Fatima decided to leave the money to his father with a farewell letter before escaping with his lover and just a handful of books as luggage. Only the key was buried in the courtyard as a mute witness of the history.
125 years ago, when it was rebuilt the current house, was discovered this ancient key with some Andalusian golden coins, so people quickly associated it with the popular song and since then it is believed that this is the house where Averroes lived with his daughter as a refugee before to escape to Marrakesh.
Here is the only part conserved of the popular Romance song:
“Y aquí escondo aquesta llave que libera el corazón,
La llave que me hizo libre, y escapar de mi prisión.
Broten de ella mil rosales, del color de mi pasión.
Abra ella todas las puertas, al que cree en el amor.”
“And here I hide this key that releases the heart,
The key that made me free, and let me escape from my jail.
Let sprout from it one thousand of roses bushes in passion’s color
Let it open all the doors who those that believe in love.”