Sala de los Abencerrajes (Hall of the Abencerrajes) – A view of the ceiling
Sala de los Abencerrajes – A view of the ceiling
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 beautifully decorated arches.
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 mocárabes or muqarnas. Below the roof and covering the entire hall is a deck whose balustrades form an octagram, i.e., eight-angled star polygon, which is also a hexadecagon (a polygon with 16 sides).
The Hall of the Abencerrajes got its name from 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.
Related Images
– Sala de los Abencerrajes – A sidewall with two arches
– Sala de las Dos Hermanas – A view of the ceiling and wall
– Sala de las Dos Hermanas – A view of the ceiling
Abencerrajes Related Images
In Alhambra
— Medina
— Abencerrajes Palace – Archaeological Site
— Foundations of the rooms in the Abencerrajes Palace
— Torre de los Abencerrajes – Abencerrajes Tower
In Generalife
— Patio de la Sultana – Sultana’s Court
— Plaque describing the Abencerrajes Legend in the Patio de la Sultana
— Cypress Tree of the Abencerrajes Legend Fame in the Patio de la Sultana
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 © 2019 – 2020 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.