Monday, December 5, 2016

The Court Of The Lions






  Court of Loins Fountain
The court of the lions is located in Granada, 
Spain in the fortress/palace, Alhambra. More 
specifically the court of loins is located in the 
Palace of the lions, in Nasrid Palaces built by 
Yusuf the first and his son Mohammed the 5th 
during the 14th century. The Nasrid palace was 
mostly used for a place for business,
 entertainment, ceremonies, and for residents. 
The court is in the middle of the palace 
surrounded by many columns and hallways, 
almost resembling a similarity to cloisters in 
Christian churches. Beginning from the center

               

(where the fountain is) the twelve lions statues 
spits water to four steams that represent the four
 rivers of paradise. These four rivers are referring to the rivers that associated to with the Garden of Eden. The four rivers are Pishon, Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates. The people at the time consider water as a symbol of life, which make sense since back than civilization usually started where there is water. This feature shows how the palaces also consider the use of nature and art to form the space. The spaces is later surrounded by four halls, The Hall of The Two Sister to the North, The Hall of The Kings to the East, The Hall of The Abencerrajes to the South, and finally The Hall of Mocarabes to the West.

Starting with the Hall of The Two Sister it was name after the two-giant slabs of marble on the floor. When you enter the room and look up you’ll see a star shaped ceiling of Mocarabes and is the same shaped ceiling as in the Hall of the Abenerrajes. 
 Ceiling of Mocarabes

What are Mocarabes? Mocarabes look like stalagmites that are usually found in caves, but have a vertical prisms shape projected downwards. Next is The Hall of Kings, which was used as a reception area and celebrations. The hall got its name from the paintings that are on the ceiling of the space; the painting is claimed to be royalty and depicts the 10 kings of the Nasrid Dynasty.



                                                                                                      

As stated before The Hall of the Abenerrajes has a similar ceiling like the Hall of the Two Sister. Near the top of this hall’s ceiling there are small 
windows that let in sunlight at different angels to create the feeling of movement. The way this hall got its name was due to the brutal murder of Abencerrajes knights to which no one really know which king orders their death. Last but not forgot, The Hall of Mocarabes, which was also use for receptions and celebrations. Near the entrance there are Muqarnas that are curved like a segment almost looking like honeycombs. Under the patio there are more Mocarabes that more there for decorations and aesthetics, but as an observation note they were placed in areas like arches and ceiling so it wasn’t just aesthetics. 

 Mocarabes, in the Hall of Mocarabes

  Also another thing to note is that this hall is closer to the court of lions.

With all of this the court of lions isn’t just for decoration, but it is also used as a centerpiece for a very well organized layout. Beside the court of lions fountain there are four more fountains in the area; two are west and east surround by the columns and the other two are north and south behind the outer walls. These four gardens help create a layout for four identical gardens to help create the Islamic image of paradise.


[6]Irwin, Robert. The Alhambra. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2004. Print.





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