Nasrid Palace

This was really incredible. For those who have not studied religions, according to conventional Islamic belief, the Qur'an was revealed by the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad in Mecca in the 600s AD. In Islamic religious art and decoration, human likenesses are disallowed but works of God, primarily mathematical abstractions (geometric patterns), calligraphy and shapes from nature (flowers) and especially the awe inspiring (stars on ceilings). Various additions over the years under various sultans.

Extremely intricate carved stonework everywhere and dome ceilings plastered in geometrical shapes and then painted like a kaleidoscope forming a large star overhead. Most impressive was where the Sultan would receive audience. Hard to believe this was all done 1000 years ago!

There are three independent areas in the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaríes): the Mexuar, which corresponds to the semipublic part of the palace or selamlik, for justice administration and State affairs; the Comares Palace (Palacio de Comares), which was the official residence of the king; and the Palace of the Lions (Palacio de los Leones), which was the private area of the palace, where the Harem was located. Not only were these areas different because of their functions, but also because of their artistic characteristics. The Comares Palace (Palacio de Comares) was decorated in a typically Muslim way, but the Palace of the Lions (Patio de los Leones) presents Christian influences, probably as a consequence of the friendship between Mohammed V and his Castilian counterpart Pedro I, the Cruel.Read more