El Escorial Library Director highlights Sharjah’s focus on heritage of Spain, Arab world

SHARJAH, 5th April, 2023 (WAM) — José Luis del Valle Merino, Director of the Royal Library of El Escorial, said that the common cultural legacy shared by Spain and the Arab world is underscored by Sharjah’s hosting of the Arabic Manuscript Collection of El Escorial.

He added that “This event contributes to raising awareness of the library’s significance and its role in preserving the manuscript heritage among European peers.”

He made this statement during a seminar held on the sideline of the exhibition, organised by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with El Escorial library. The seminar was moderated by Shaikha Al Mutairi, Head of the National Heritage Department at Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage, in the presence of Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA.

During the session, Merino said, “The Royal El Escorial Library contains more than 4,000 manuscripts, including 2,000 in Arabic. We have carefully selected a unique and rare collection of them to display in Sharjah, which has provided us with an exceptional opportunity to introduce the public in the UAE and the Arab world to the shared cultural history between Spanish and Arabic cultures.”

“El Escorial is one of the most important libraries in Europe as well as the world, preserving priceless manuscripts, including a copy of the Holy Quran (known as Mushaf Moulay Zidane) dating back to 1599 AD, and as part of the exhibition, it is being showcased for the first time outside Spain,” he explained.

“The library is also taking steps to digitise its manuscripts and make them accessible on the internet through a multilingual guide with detailed information and images. Arabic will be included in the upcoming phase,” Merino further remarked.

During the seminar, the director displayed images of the handwritten Quran, highlighting its rich Moroccan decorations on most of its pages. The seminar also included an overview on El Escorial library, showcasing a photobank of its sections, history, inscriptions, and the architectural art that distinguishes it, where Merino discussed their significance and the scientific and philosophical backgrounds they carry.

Merino also touched on the history of the library, which is located in the historic San Lorenzo de El Escorial royal palace, which manifests Spain’s history, built under the directive of King Philip II in 1537 and completed in 1596, with half of the building serving as a monastery and the other half as a school.

The exhibition is open to the public from 2nd to 9th April between 21:00 and 01:00 at the Sharjah Book Authority’s headquarters. It offers an opportunity to view 14 rare manuscripts from the 13th to 16th centuries, gain insights into Spain’s rich heritage of Arabic manuscripts, and learn about the contributions of Arab scholars to the fields of literature, science, and philosophy.