The Nasrid palaces of the Alhambra
23 July 2007 | Grenada
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If we had not seen the Alcazar of Seville and the Mesquite of Cordoba we would have been even more amazed and awed by the artistry and beauty of these palaces. They bring the beauty of true proportion and the exquisite artistry of work in plaster, stone, wood and tile to a new peak.
A particularly interesting feature are the moc�rabes, complex structures of prisms within prisms made in plaster or stone, that hang down in ornate, geometric stalactites. These are suspended from domes and arches all over the palaces.
The picture shows one amazing archway in the Palaces, but they are difficult features to photograph from ground level. The only other place we (Sarah really) have seen such a feature is in the Mogul buildings of sixteenth century India, notably the deserted city of Fatephur Sikkri, near to Agra. The inscription around this one starts 'Sublime piece of work/Fortune wishes it to surpass all other monuments.'
The palaces are built on the same patterns as most Islamic traditional homes. There is a central patio, with water in it in some form. Off this are rooms, often rectangular with an alcove at each end. The surrounds are in at least two stories. There may well be roof terraces as well.
In the beautiful Court of the Myrtles in the Comares Palaces there are four arches leading to rooms said to be the quarters of the sultan's four wives. These quarters are again rectangular rooms with alcoves. We were interested to see that this is exactly the pattern of the riad we stayed in in Fes. A flexible and effective layout in places of extreme temperatures.