Description of the attraction
The Alhambra, the most famous monument of Moorish art in Spain, was built during the reign of the Nasrid dynasty. The palace was built from wood, ceramic tiles and plaster. Each ruler made some changes to this complex of buildings and courtyards. After the Reconquista, Charles V ordered part of the palace to be destroyed and another palace and church built in its place. From this period, the Alhambra fell into decay, it was plundered, there were fires in it. The restoration of the palace was undertaken only at the end of the 19th century.
Charles V's palace stands out for its massiveness. But inside the square building (60x60 m) hides one of the most beautiful Renaissance courtyards in Spain. These are the creations of Pedro Machuca, a Toledian who studied in Italy, possibly with Michelangelo. The austere circular courtyard with a double row of columns (Doric at the bottom, Ionic at the top) has a diameter of 30 meters. Now the Palace of Charles V houses the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Spanish-Muslim Art.
The Lion's Courtyard is a fabulous courtyard built under Muhammad V, framed by arcades of 124 graceful columns. In the center of the courtyard there is a fountain, the bowl of which is supported by 12 stone lions. According to an old legend, 100 members of the Abenserrach family were beheaded by order of the emir in the Hall of Abenserraches as punishment for the fact that one of them fell in love with the emir's concubine. The Royal Hall, where feasts and festivities were held, is famous for its unique ceiling, decorated with paintings on the skin of knightly and hunting plots. The reservoir of the Myrtle Courtyard is surrounded by a hedge of myrtle bushes and graceful arcades. From the oldest building of the Alhambra - Palaio del Partal - only a portico with arches and a tower has survived.
On the north side of the Alhambra are the Generalife Gardens. Here the rulers could hide from the sun and palace intrigues. The gardens were planted in the 13th century, but their layout has changed several times.
Description added:
Alejo Anna 2012-18-02
The number of lions is no coincidence. According to legend, 12 lions supported the throne of King Solomon, and Sultan Muhammad al-Ghani was told about this by his vizier Ibn Nagrell, a Jew by birth. He also advised the Sultan to decorate the fountain with figures of lions, which were brought to the Alhambra from the old palace in Albuyein.
Show all text The number of lions is no coincidence. According to legend, 12 lions supported the throne of King Solomon, and Sultan Muhammad al-Ghani was told about this by his vizier Ibn Nagrell, a Jew by birth. He also advised the Sultan to decorate the fountain with figures of lions, which were brought to the Alhambra from the old palace in Albuyein.
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