Alhambra Palace, Granada – Spain
Coordinates: 37.177365, -3.589772
It was commissioned by the Nasrid sultan Muhammed V of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus.
The Nasrid rulers utilized the peacefulness of sight, sound, and the cooling qualities of water integral in the design of the Alhambra.
Its construction started in the second period of his reign, between 1362 and 1391 AD. The site is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and minted in Spain’s 2011 limited edition of 2 € Commemorative Coins.
The structure of the courtyard has its meaning and origins trace their roots to early Islamic gardening, the courtyard divided in four parts, each one of them symbolizing one of the four parts of the world.
Each part is irrigated by a water channel that symbolize the four rivers of Paradise. This courtyard is, therefore, an architectural materialization of Paradise, where the gardens, the water, and the columns form a conceptual and physical unity.
The slender column forest have been said to represent the palm trees of an oasis in the desert, deeply related with Paradise in the Nasrid imagination.
In the poem of Ibn Zamrak on the basin of the fountain, a further meaning is stated clearly: “The fountain is the Sultan, which smothers with his graces all his subjects and lands, as the water wets the gardens.”
Lion Fountain
Some research suggests that the 11th century lions of the Lion Fountain came from the house of the Jewish vizier Yusuf ibn Nagrela (d. 1066).
They are large for sculptures of animals in Islamic art, but as in other sites of al-Andalus such as the earlier Medina Azahara near Cordoba, there are multiple animals. The Pisa Griffin is even larger.
Know This
The Alhambra itself is free to wander around but the Nasrid Palaces and Alcazaba require tickets. They are available online 3 months before the day you want to visit.
It’s a good idea to have advance tickets and stick to the times allocated, so keep an eye on the time!
Make sure to arrive early at the palace entrance (not the whole complex),
Be sure to get to the entrance at least 15mins beforehand
