The magnificent campanile of the Seville Cathedral
When you look at the Giralda, it is hard to imagine that it is a product of two entirely different cultures. The lower half is part of the minaret built in the 13th century by the Almohads – a Moorish dynasty originated from North Africa. The upper half is a Renaissance-style bell tower built in the 16th century by the Christians, who took controls of Seville after the Reconquista. Despite the differences in architectural styles and religious traditions, the bell tower appears to be a seamlessly integrated harmonious structure, and is reflective of the multi-cultural aspects of Spain.
Giralda means ‘one that turns’ in Spanish. The decorative bronze sculpture placed at the top, which rotates with the wind and acts as a weather vane, is responsible for the name. It depicts a young woman holding a cross, symbolizing the victory of Faith.
Islamic Section – Highly ornate Moorish minaret
Giralda exterior
The minaret part of the tower appears to use two types of construction: Ashlar stone in the base and brick exterior in the rest. Richly decorated arched windows and balconies adorn the brick exterior on all four sides of the tower. They allow light and air into the interior.
Mounted on top of the original minaret was a hemispherical dome, and placed above it was a stack of three bronze spheres of decreasing size, crowning it with a crescent moon. The dome and spheres remained in place until an earthquake destroyed them in 1365.
Each side of the tower measures 45 ft at the street level. The foundation below the street level is a bit wider and is about 20 ft deep. Most of the stones used on the foundation and the base came from the existing Roman structures, including a wall nearby. The minaret segment of the tower is about 165 ft high.
The interior of the minaret consists of chambers at the center and ramps around them built with enough space to allow people and horseback riders to climb the tower. There are a total of 35 ramp segments, starting at the entrance and ending near the Christian part of the Giralda. The image below shows a segment (i.e., number 23) with the original flooring. As you can see, the ramp is big enough for people to walk comfortably, and the path is lit by the light that passes through the window situated on the right side.
A segment of the ramp
Christian Section – Bell tower with Victory of Faith at the top
Giralda upper part
In the 16th century, Seville was flourishing, thanks to the trade with the New World conquered by the Conquistadors. With an enormous wealth in hand, the cathedral chapter entrusted the work of building a magnificent bell tower for the Seville Cathedral to Hernan Ruiz II in 1558. He was an ingenious architect who had already built other structures in the Seville cathedral. It took him ten years to complete the addition to the bell tower.
Overlaid on top of the original minaret are the four stories built with the Renaissance style architecture. The transition to the new addition is smooth, and onlookers hardly notice the difference. The size (includes width and height) of the stories decreases with height. The bottom two floors are square-shaped, and the top two are circular.
The first story sits perfectly on top of the minaret and appears as though it is a continuation of it. Built with bricks, stones, and ceramics, it serves as a bell-chamber housing 24 bells, eight on each side. The exterior is highly ornate with columns, round windows, and an arch in the middle of each side. The bells hang between the pillars. Mounted above the corners are the bronze flower vases with lilies.
Interior of the belfryGiralda Bells
The second story has two levels. In 1765, a Franciscan Friar named Josรฉ Cordero installed a beautiful bell in the upper level of this story, and it became the 25th bell of Giralda. The third story is circular, and the fourth looks like a jar and is named “La Tinaja” (The Jar).
El Giradillo
Sitting above the fourth floor is a dome that acts as a pedestal for a magnificent bronze sculpture of a young woman holding a cross, symbolizing the victory of Faith. This sculpture is known as El Giradillo because it rotates with the wind and acts like a weather vane.
The woman in the statue is holding the cross with the right hand and the foliage with the left. The semi-oval plate attached to the lower part of the cross helps to point El Giradillo in the direction of the wind. As mentioned before, this rotating behavior is responsible for Giralda’s name, which means ‘one that turns’ in Spanish.
El Giradillo is about 13 ft high and rests on a pedestal that is 10 ft high. It was cast in bronze by Bartolomรฉ Morel in 1568 using a model most likely built by Juan Bautista Vรกzquez el Viejo, who was also responsible for the reliefs on the Chapter house dome. The model for the cast was based on a painting by Luis de Vargas. A duplicate of El Giradillo is in front of the Puerta del Principe.
Panoramic views
If you take the Seville Cathedral tour, it culminates with the climbing of the Giralda, first walking on the ramps of the minaret and then taking the flight of steps to the belfry, the last stop. As you climb the minaret part, you can stop at the balconies to view the surroundings. Once you reach the belfry, you can go around all the four sides and get a 360 view of the historic city of Seville. One of the spectacular views you see is of the Seville Cathedral itself.
Patio de los Naranjos – Courtyard of the Orange Trees
The image shows an aerial view of the Patio de los Naranjos, a garden of orange trees, enclosed by the structures belonging to the Seville Cathedral complex, which are, the northern facade of the Seville Cathedral on the left, Iglesia del Sagrario in the middle, and a gallery on the right.
The small tower in the middle of the right side (i.e., north) gallery belongs to the Puerta del Perdรณn (Door of Forgiveness), a gate through which visitors enter the Patio de los Naranjos from the Calle Alemanes. The gallery on the east side (not visible) houses La Bibliotheca Colombina, a library that holds the private book collection of Fernando Colรณn, the second son of Christopher Columbus. Both Fernando Colรณn and Christopher Columbus were interred in the Seville Cathedral.
The Patio de los Naranjos used to be the courtyard of the Almohad mosque once stood in this space. The only thing that remains of the courtyard from that era is the fountain where the worshipers performed ritual ablutions, i.e., washing of feet and hands before entering the mosque.
The Patio de los Naranjos is now used by the visitors to gather and relax before and after the tour of the Seville Cathedral.
A panoramic view from the belfry of the Giralda
The image shows the eastern end of the Seville Cathedral. The dome with the roof lantern is above the Capilla Real. Below the cathedral is the La Plaza de la Virgen de Los Reyes, and behind it is the Real Alcรกzar and the adjoining gardens. The Guadalquivir River is in the far end of the image.
Located on Cerro del Sol (Sun Hill), a hill adjoining the Alhambra, the Generalife is a complex consisting of beautiful gardens, orchards, and a palace used by the Nasrid kings as a leisure residence, especially during summer. Derived from the Arabic word Jannat al-โArฤซf, Generalife means an architect’s garden. Inspired by the Persian gardens of the medieval period, Muhammed II (1273 – 1302), the second king of the Nasrid dynasty, built the Generalife complex as his summer residence. Muhammed III (1302 – 1309), the second king, and Ismail I (1314- 1325), the fourth king, extended and improved the palaces and gardens.
The Generalife provides a panoramic view of the Alhambra and Granada area. Although the palaces in Generalife are not as ornate as the Nasrid Palaces of the Alhambra, they still retain the charm of Moorish art. The courtyards have pools with fountains and water canals.
The palaces and gardens underwent significant restorations in the 20th century. The walkways, which were built as part of these restorations, are paved with beautiful mosaics created with black and white pebbles. The black ones are from the River Genil, and the white ones are from the River Darro. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 along with the Alhambra and Albaicรญn district.
Visiting the Generalife
As mentioned before, the Generalife complex is on a hill next to the Alhambra, and separating them is a ravine, which has a bridge that provides access to the Generalife. It takes about an hour to visit the gardens and courtyards of the Generalife. You can combine the Alhambra visit with the Generalife because it is at a walkable distance.
There is a path that leads to the Generalife from the Alhambra. Once you visit the Nasrid Palaces, you come out via the Gardens of Partal, which has signs directing to the Paseo de las Torres (Tower’s walk). Follow these signs, and as you walk, you will see several Nasrid era towers. You then cross the bridge over the ravine and reach the Auditorium at the Generalife. A walkway leads to the lower gardens area, and you start the Generalife visit there.
At the center of the image is a pebbled walkway that leads to the Generalife Palace and the upper gardens. The Generalife complex has many similar walkways paved with beautiful mosaics created with black and white pebbles. The black ones are from the River Genil, and the white ones are from the River Darro. The walkways are a 20th-century creation built as part of the restoration of the Generalife.
The area on the right side of the walkway is an arable land used by
the Nasrids to grow vegetables and fruits. It serves the same purpose
even today. As you can see, the agricultural terrace on the right has
orchards and vegetable patches.
The area on the left side is used for decorative purposes and has beautifully-trimmed cypress trees. It is a delightful experience to walk under the arches of the cypress trees. See the image below. Although these gardens make a great impression with visitors, they are also a modern creation built as part of the renovation of the Generalife, and nobody is sure how they looked in the Nasrid era.
Cypress tree archesAn octagonal basin
Generalife Palace
The walkway from the lower gardens leads to the Generalife Palace, which has two important courts, which are:
Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Irrigation Channel
Patio de la Sultana (Sultana’s Court or Courtyard of the Cypress).
Patio de la Acequia – Court of the Irrigation Canal
The Patio de la Acequia is a rectangular court with pavilions on all four sides. The image below is captured from the northern pavilion. On the far end of the image is the southern pavilion with two floors. The pavilion on the right (i.e., west side) is ornate and provides a beautiful view of the Generalife gardens and the Alhambra.
Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Irrigation Canal)
As the name suggests, the court has an irrigation canal, which runs
through its center. Built in the Nasrid period, it provided water for
the exotic plants in the court. On its sides are the narrow terraces
with water sprouts spurting water into the canal, creating a beautiful
display of semi oval-shaped water jets crossing each other.
The hedges of myrtle bushes run along the outer edges of the terraces. The beds used for cultivating flower plants, bushes, and fruit trees are on both sides of the canal. The Nasrids imported some of these plants, including a variety of rose bushes and jasmine creepers, from different parts of the world, choosing them for the colorfulness and fragrance of their flowers. The plants with their colorful flowers and a pleasant aroma created a delightful atmosphere in the court.
A chamber on the west-side pavilion A ceiling of the west-side pavilion
The image on the left shows highly ornate pavilion with large arched windows surrounded by Islamic calligraphy. As you can see, they provide a beautiful view of the gardens.
The image on the right shows the sunken wooden ceiling of a pavilion on the west side of the Patio de la Acequia. This is a great example of Mudรฉjar art, a style of decoration originated in Moorish Spain and is a fusion of Islamic and Christian art. There are many rooms in Nasrid Palaces and Generalife with ceilings decorated with Mudรฉjar art.
Patio de la Sultana – Sultana’s Court
Patio de la Sultana (Sultana’s Court)
Pond with a fountain in the Patio de la Sultana (Sultana’s Court)
The image shows the Patio de la Sultana (Sultanaโs Court) located adjacent to the Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Irrigation Canal).
The court has a water-filled ditch surrounding the rectangular platform. At the center of this platform is a square pond in the middle flanked by two garden patches, each surrounded by a hedge of myrtle bushes. There is a basin with a fountain at the center of the pond. As you can see from the image, several water sprouts on the platform and the corridors are spurting water, creating semi oval-shaped water jets.
Cypress Tree and the Legend of the Abencerrajes
Cypress tree of the Abencerrajes legend standing in the Patio de la Sultana
Standing on the eastern side of the court is the dried-up tree trunk of a cypress tree, which experts believe was alive during the Nasrid period and lived for 600 years. A popular legend is centered around this cypress tree, and because of this legend the court is also known as the Patio del Ciprรฉs de la Sultana (Sultanaโs Cypress Tree Court).
As you can see from the image, there is also a small plaque next to the tree trunk. The Spanish text in the plaque refers to this cypress tree to describe the story that is central to the Legend of the Abencerrajes.
The plaque says :
Cuenta la leyenda que este ciprรฉs de la sultana fue testigo de la amorios de un Caballero Abenceraje y la esposa de Boabdil
Here is a rough translation:
Legend has it that this Cypress Tree of the Sultana was a witness to the love affair of an Abencerraje Knight and Boabdilโs wife.
According to the legend, Moryama (Maryam bint Ibrahim al-โAttarthe), the wife of Muhammad XII (known as Boabdil, the last Sultan of Granada), had an affair with a knight belonging to the Abencerrajes, a warrior clan fiercely loyal to the Nasrids. The lovers used to meet underneath the shade of this cypress tree in the moonlight.
Plaque describing the Abencerrajes legend in the Patio de la Sultana (Sultana’s Court)
A courtier eventually discovered their secret and revealed it to the Nasrids. Enraged by the affair, Boabdil ordered the killing of the members of the Abencerrajes clan. He invited them for a meeting at his palace. The unsuspecting members accepted the invitation and gathered in a hall. While they were waiting for the king, his guards closed the doors of the hall and assassinated as many as 30 of them.
Although there is no historical or archaeological evidence to prove that this event ever took place, the fascinating story of romance and the palace intrigue has caught the imagination of people and helped to keep the mystique of the Alhambra alive.
A staircase on the south end of the Patio de la Sultana leads to the upper gardens of the Generalife. The image shows the arched gateway above that staircase. As you can see, there are two lion statues atop this gateway.
Besides numerous gardens, the upper level of the Generalife consists of the Escalera del Agua (Water Stairway), Mirador Romรกntico (Romantic Viewpoint), and Casa de los Amigos (House of Friends).
The image shows part of the stairway know as the Escalera del Agua (Water Stairway) situated in the upper gardens of the Generalife.
The stairway consists of three levels of steps. At the end of each level is a circular-shaped terrace with a fountain at its center. Built atop the wall on each side of the stairway is a narrow canal with the water flowing down. The shade from the trees in the surrounding gardens and the water running in the canals keep the place cooler and make the uphill walk pleasant for visitors.
Mirador Romรกntico – Romantic Viewpoint
In the Nasrid era, this stairway led to a small oratario (oratory or prayer hall) that existed at the upper end of the stairway, which happens to be the highest point of the Generalife. The royals used this stairway to climb up to the oratario to pray and then relax watching the panoramic view of the surrounding areas.
A small observatory known as the Mirador Romรกntico (Romantic Viewpoint), which is shown in the image, replaced the oratory in the 19th century. The structure does not fit well with the rest of the buildings in the Generalife because it is not a Nasrid-era building. Built in 1836 by Don Jaime Traversa, the administrator of the Generalife at that time, Mirador Romรกntico is a neo-gothic style building.
Located between the Medina (i.e., city) and theย Nasrid Palaces, the area covered by the present Gardens of the Partal was mostly residential during the Nasrid era. Because of the convenient location, the people who worked in the palaces lived in this area. Medina, which had shops, baths, and mosques, was nearby and met their daily needs.ย
After the Christian kings took over the Alhambra, the houses and other buildings in this area fell into disrepair. A major restoration of the Alhambra took place from 1923 to 1936, during which period this area became an archaeological site. Excavations of this site led to the discovery of numerous Moorish houses and even a palace attributed to Yusuf III. The gardens in this area are a modern construction and were part of the restoration that in the 1930s.
The Gardens of the Partal consists of few buildings near the Nasrid Palaces and the gardens built on the slopes north of the upper Alhambra. The two main buildings in this area are 1. Torre de las Damas (Tower of the Ladies) 2. Oratorio del Partal (Oratory of the Partal).
Torre de las Damas (Tower of the Ladies)
Torre de las Damas (Tower of the Ladies)
Built sometime between 1302 and 1309 CE during the reign of Muhammed III, the Torre de las Damas (Tower of the Ladies), which used to be called the Partal, is one of the oldest buildings in the Alhambra. Partal means portico in Arabic. The Gardens of Partal got its name because of this building.
It had many modifications and renovations done to it over the years, but eventually, it was neglected and fell into disrepair. Fortunately, it underwent a significant restoration in 1924, and the beautiful building you see now is the result of that restoration.
As you can see from the image, the Tower of the Ladies consists of a tower, a hall, and an open portico. Resting on the marble pillars of the portico are the five arches. Only the middle arch, which is higher than the other four, belonged to the original building.
The ceiling of the porticoAn interior view
The image on the left shows the ceiling of the portico of the Tower of the Ladies. As you can see from the image, the ceiling has several repetitive geometrical patterns, including many recessed octagons, arranged symmetrically with a deeply-recessed multi-angled niche at the center.
The beautifully decorated wooden ceiling shown in the image is a delight to watch and is a great example of Mudรฉjar art, a style of decoration originated in Moorish Spain and is a fusion of Islamic and Christian art. There are many rooms in Nasrid Palaces and Generalife with ceilings decorated with Mudรฉjar art.
The image on the right shows the hall behind the portico of the Tower of the Ladies. As you can see from the image, it offers a great view of the city of Granada.
Oratorio del Partal
Interior of the Oratory showing the mihrab
The image shows an interior view of the Oratorio del Partal (Oratory of the Partal), a small building next to the Tower of the Ladies. Attributed to Yusef I (1333-1354), the seventh and one of the most prominent ruler of the Nasrid dynasty, the Oratory was a house of prayer, which was used by the sultan for namaz (prayer). It was first restored in the 1930s, then again in 2017 to the present form.
As you can see from the image, the highly decorated wall has a niche, known as mihrab, oriented towards the Kaaba of Mecca. The upper part of the mihrab has a beautiful arch surrounded by a square border carved with Islamic calligraphy. Beautifully carved arabesques fill the space between the arch and this border. The wall above the mihrab has two decorative windows, and surrounding it are arabesques and Islamic calligraphy.
Note: Arabesque is a repetitive pattern of foliage or geometrical designs found in decorations of Islamic architecture.
Also seen in the image is part of the ceiling, which is ornate with finely-carved wooden panels. It is also an example of Mudรฉjar art mentioned above.
Gardens
Built on the slopes north of the upper Alhambra and east of the Nasrid Palaces, the gardens consist of several terraces with reflecting pools, fountains, flower beds, and nicely trimmed hedges of bushes enclosing plants and trees.
On the right, a low brick wall with a white plaque is part of the remnants of Palacio de Yusuf III (Yusuf III Palace). The archaeological excavation in the 1930s led to the discovery of this palace. Based on the type of construction and the artifacts found in the site, experts attributed it to Yusuf III (1408-1417), the thirteenth ruler of the Nasrid dynasty. However, experts also believe that a much older construction attributed to Muhammad II (1273-1302), the second ruler, existed in this site, and the Yusuf III Palace was a modified version of that building.
The image on the right shows a terrace on the north side of the gardens. As you can see from the image, the Tower of the Ladies is at the far end.
A west side view of the Gardens of the PartalA north side view of the Gardens of the Partal
Known for the grandeur and unique Islamic art, the Palacios Nazarรญes (Nasrid Palaces) is a complex of interconnected palaces built by the Nasrids, a powerful dynasty originated in North African and ruled the Emirate of Granada over a period of 260 years. Besides using the palaces as their residences, the Nasrid rulers used them to conduct the state business, including the administration and meeting with the local and foreign dignitaries.
Located on the northern end of Sabika Hill, the Nasrid Palaces are the most popular tourist attractions in the Alhambra. The opulence and lavishness of the palaces make visitors feel like they are in a paradise on earth.
The Nasrid Palaces require tickets to visit, and depending on the season, you may have to buy them well in advance. Besides the Nasrid Palaces, the Alhambra has many impressive monuments, including the Alcazaba, Partal Gardens, and Medina. The Generalife is not considered part of the Alhambra because it is located on a different hill on the other side of the ravine separating them. However, most tourists visit it after the Alhambra tour because of the easy access from the Alhambra. The Nasrid Palaces visit lasts about two hours, and you can complete the entire Alhambra and Generalife tours in half a day.
While the exterior of the palaces appears to be an unimpressive jumble of buildings (See the image), the well-designed and exquisitely decorated interiors are impressive works of art.
An outer view of the Nasrid Palaces
The palaces consist of highly decorated rooms arranged in a quadrangular fashion with a court in front. Some courts have fountains with running water, and the others have reflecting pools or gardens. The rooms have finely carved ceilings, some with mocรกrabes (Read Note 1 below). The doorways and windows are arched, and the walls around them are embellished with arabesques (Read Note 2 below) and Islamic calligraphy.
The palaces evolved gradually over the years during the Nasrid rule. During this era, many rooms were added, extended, and removed. Once the Christian rulers took over the Alhambra, they too remodeled and renovated the palaces, but fortunately maintained its original Moorish character by keeping the basic structures, and most of its architectural elements, and beautiful decorations.
The Maxuar palace is one of the first palaces to be built in the Alhambra and changed the most. The building of the original place took place during the reign of Ismail I (1314 – 1325), the fifth ruler of the Nasrid dynasty, who usurped the direct descendant of the founder and created the second Nasrid dynasty. Later, a significant rebuilding of this palace occurred during the reign of Muhammad V (1354โ1359, 1362โ1391), the eighth ruler of the Nasrid dynasty.
During the Christian era, An explosion in 1590 destroyed most of the western part. As a result, there is very little left from the original palace. Nobody is sure how the original building looked like; What you see now is a small portion of the original on the eastern part.
The Maxuar Palace is where the visitors enter the Nasrid Palaces. The images below show a part of the main hall. Supporting the ceiling of this hall are the four pillars, each of which is surmounted by the corbels at the top. The image on the right shows the wall and the corbels on the eastern part of this hall. As you can see, the beam and wall are ornate with arabesques and Islamic calligraphy. The beautifully decorated wooden ceiling is from the Christian era and is a great example of Mudรฉjar art (Read Note 3).
The Maxuar HallA section of the wall on the east side of the Maxuar hall
Palacio Comares – Comares Palace
The construction of this palace began during the reign of Yousef I (1332-1354), the seventh ruler of the Nasrid dynasty, and completed by his son Mohammed V (1354โ1359, 1362โ1391). Once completed, it became the official residence of the emirs.
The Gilded Room is located next to the Maxuar Palace.
The Gilded room wall The Gilded room ceiling
As you can see from the image on the left, the walls are ornate with arabesques and Islamic calligraphy. The room has doorways with arches and finely-carved decorative windows above the arches. The Nasrid Palaces have many rooms in this style of decoration.
As you can see from the image on the right, the wooden ceiling is recessed and engraved with beautiful gold-colored patterns. The room got its name because of these gold-colored decorations.
The Gilded Room ceiling is an excellent example of Mudรฉjar art, which is a blend of Islamic and Christian art created mainly by Christian artisans.
Patio de los Arrayanes – Court of Myrtles
The Court of the Myrtles -The north corridor view The Court of the Myrtles – The south corridor view
The Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles) is a quadrangular court with a pool surrounded by well-trimmed hedges of myrtle bushes (hence the name Court of the Myrtles). Situated at the northern and southern and ends of the pool are the fountains, and behind the fountains are the corridors, each with seven exquisitely embellished arches.
The image on the left shows a view of the north corridor with the Comares Tower behind it. The image on the right shows a view the south corridor with a gallery on the upper floor, which has seven arches, just like the floor below. As you can see, the middle arch of the corridors is higher than the other six.
Located west of the Court of the Myrtles is the Gilded Room (Cuarto Dorado), and east is the Palace of the Lions. The visitors enter the Court of the Myrtles through the Gilded Room and walk east to enter the Hall of the Mocarabes of the Palace of the Lions.
Palacio de los Leones – Palace of the Lions
Built by Mohammed V (1362 – 1391), the Palace of the Lions is the most impressive part of the Nasrid Palaces. The palace building reached its crescendo during his rule.
Map of the Palace of of the Lions and recommended path for the visitors
It lies between the Comares Palace and the Partal. In the center is the Patio de los Leones (Court of the Lions), which is a rectangular court surrounded by four halls.
This map shows the recommended path for the visitors to navigate in the Palace of the Lions. It is on display at the Court of the Lions corridor.
Commissioned by the Mohammed V and built in the second part of the 14th century, the Court of the Lions is a masterpiece of Moorish architecture in Spain.
As you can see from the image, the Court of the Lions is a rectangular court surrounded by arched corridors, behind which are the four famous halls of the Nasrid Palaces. Located west of the court is the Hall of the Mocรกrabes, north is the Hall of the Abencerrajes, east is the Hall of the Kings, and south is the Hall of Two Sisters.
At the center is a fountain built with sculptures of 12 lions and a dodecagon-shaped (12-sided polygon) basin is resting above them. The Court of the Lions got its name because of these 12 lions.
Sala de los Mocรกrabes – Hall of the Mocรกrabes
The Hall of the Mocarabes
Located west of the Court of the Lions, the Sala de los Mocรกrabes is a hall with an oval-shaped ceiling previously covered with a dome of the Mocรกrabes. It got its name because of this dome, which was dismantled after an explosion in the 16th century. Check the map of the Palace of the Lions for its location.
Although this hall is beautifully decorated, it is less glamorous than the other three halls that surround the Court of the Lions . The visitors to the Court of the Lions enter this hall before walking to the other halls in the Palace of the Lions.
The image shows a part of the ceiling depicting the court of arms of the Nasrid dynasty.
Sala de los Abencerrajes โ Hall of the Abencerrajes
The Hall of the Abencerrajes – A sidewall with two beautifully decorated arches
Located north of the Court of the Lions, the Hall of the Abencerrajes is ornate with beautiful geometric designs on its walls and ceiling. It has a central hall and a corridor with two archways. The image shows a sidewall with two beautifully decorated arches on the doorway leading to a corridor.
The Hall of the Abencerrajes owes its name to the legend of the Abencerrajes, a warrior clan from North Africa. According to this legend, 30 of them were assassinated in this room by the orders of the Sultan of Granada, who suspected a member of the clan was having an affair with one of the ladies of the royal family. However, there is no historical or archaeological evidence to support the occurrence of this event. Read more on this legend: Cypress Tree and the Legend of the Abencerrajes
Hall of the Abencerrajes – A view of the ceiling
The view above the central hall is especially stunning. As you can see from the image, the ceiling looks like a honeycomb constructed with small and colorful cells of different geometric shapes, including triangles and rectangles. Such honeycomb structures are called dome of the mocรกrabes (similar to muqarnas of Persian origin). Below the roof and covering the entire hall is a deck whose balustrades form a hexadecagon (a polygon with 16 sides).
Sala de los Reyes โ Hall of the Kings
The Hall of the Kings – A view of the ceiling
Located east of the Court of the Lions, Sala de los Reyes (Hall of the Kings) is one of the most interesting halls in the Nasrid Palaces, mainly because of the three paintings on its ceiling (see the images below). It is also known as the Justice Hall.
At the center of this rectangular-shaped hall is the main room flanked by two bedrooms on the sides. Connecting the main hall to the bedrooms are the exquisitely decorated double arch doors.
A corridor separates this hall and the Court the Lions, and the three beautifully decorated arched doorways connect this corridor to the hall.
The image above shows a view of the ceiling of the Hall of the Kings. It looks like a honeycomb constructed with small and colorful cells of different geometric shapes, including triangles and rectangles.
Everyday life Fighting and hunting scenesTen Nasrid Kings Paintings on the ceiling of the Palace of the Lions
The images show the three paintings on the ceiling of the Hall of the Kings. These were painted on a sheepskin leather sheet and attached to an oval-shaped wooden vault of the ceiling.
The lower painting depicts the first ten kings of the Nasrid dynasty. The Hall of the Kings got its name because of the this painting. The other two painting depict everyday life and fighting and hunting scenes Although the paintings depict the legends of the kings of the Nasrid dynasty, they were most likely painted by the Christian painters during the reign of Mohammed VII (1395 โ 1410 CE) or Yusuf III (1410 โ 1424 CE).
Sala de las Dos Hermanas โ Hall of Two Sisters
The Hall of Two Sisters – Part of the ceiling and wall
Located south of the Court of the Lions, the Hall of Two Sisters is ornate with beautiful geometric designs on its walls and ceiling.
Just like the Hall of Abencerrajas, the ceiling of this hall has the dome of the mocรกrabes, however, the design is different. The small colorful cells are organized to form concentric geometrical shapes.
Below the roof and covering the entire hall is a deck whose balustrades form an octagon. The wall is also highly decorated, and there is a niche in the wall with a beautiful arch.
The Hall of Two Sisters – A view of the ceiling
As you can see from the image, the outermost shape is almost a circle and enclosed within this circle is a hexadecagon (a polygon with 16 sides). Enclosed within this hexadecagon is an octagon (a polygon with 8 sides), and within this octagon, there are many concentric shapes. Below the roof and covering the entire hall is a deck whose balustrades form an octagon. It is a delight to the eyes to view these mesmerizing geometric designs.
Mirador de Lindaraja โ The Viewing Windows of Lindaraja
The Sala de los Ajimeces and Mirador de Lindaraja
The image shows a beautiful view captured from the Hall of Two Sisters. At the far end of the image is the Mirador de Lindaraja (Mirador de Daraxa), and at the near end is the Sala de los Ajimeces (Hall of the Ajimeces). These two halls are located east of the Court of the Lions.
As you can see from the image, a beautifully decorated arched door from the Sala de los Ajimeces leads to the Mirador de Lindaraja. Just like the other halls in these palaces, the walls are filled with arabesques and Islamic calligraphy, and the ceiling is decorated with mocรกrabes.
With its two beautifully decorated arched windows, the Mirador de Lindaraja provides a spectacular view of the gardens outside the Patio of the Lindaraja. However, the mirador (lookout) is now closed to the visitors.
The Patio de Lindaraja (Court de Lindaraja) โ also known as the Jardines de Daraxa (Garden of Daraxa) โ is a square-shaped patio enclosing a lovely garden on all four sides. Each side has a portico with arched columns made of marble and a gallery upstairs. This image was captured from one of the galleries.
The Patio de Lindaraja
At the center of the garden is a beautiful marble fountain, which dates back to 1626, and the basin was first at the Patio del Cuarto Dorado (Patio of the Gilded Room). The garden has several pentagon-shaped bushes and tall trees, including cypress, orange, and acacia.
Notes
Note 1: Mocรกrabes are unique to Islamic architecture in Andalucian Spain and are similar to Muqarnas (which is of Persian origin). They are decorative elements consisting of recurring geometrical patterns, which appear like honeycombs. Typically used in vaults, mocรกrabes are a symbolic representation of the cave where Prophet Muhammad received his revelation.
Note 2. Arabesque is a repetitive pattern of foliage or geometrical designs found in decorations of Islamic architecture.
Note 3: The term Mudรฉjar refers to the Moors who stayed in the Iberian Peninsula after the Christian retook the land ruled by the Moors.
