Carlos V Pillar
Carlos V Pillar
The image shows a beautifully decorated wall located next to the Puerta de la Justicia and below the artillery pieces in front of the Palacio Carlos V. You can see this on your way to the Alhambra.
As you can see, the wall has three distinct levels of carvings. The bottom level is about Granada. The middle and top levels are about Carlos V, Holy Roman Emperor, who commissioned the building of this wall.
Carved at the bottom level are the three masks, which, according to experts, represent the three rivers of Granada, Darro, Beiro, and Genil. Representing Granada is a pomegranate growing on a tree branch carved on each of the two pilasters in the middle. Note that Granada means pomegranate in Spanish.
At the center of the middle level is an inscription in Latin describing Carlos V. The semi-circular block on the top level has his coat of arms enclosed by a double-headed eagle, which represents the Hapsburg Empire. The four medallions carved on sides of this circular block have reliefs depicting scenes from Greek mythology.
Related Pages
Alhambra
– Palacios Nazaríes – Nasrid Palaces – A Shining Example of Moorish Art and Architecture
– Los Jardines del Partal – The Gardens of the Partal
– Alcazaba – A Formidable Fortress of the Nasrids
– Medina, the Bustling City
– Alhambra – Christian-Era Monuments
– Alhambra – Outer Monuments
Generalife – Heavenly Gardens of the Nasrids
Copyright © 2020 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.