DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29899#0573
Bk. I. Ch. III.
ALHAMBBA.
553
Christian conquerors of Granada. Indeed it is not unlikely that the
Christian palace above mentioned, which stands strangely unsym-
metrically with the other buildings, follows the lines of the old
mosque. This could be in great measure determined if we could rely
upon the bearings of the different courts and buildings as given in
the plans hitherto published.
The principal entrance to the Alhambra seems always to have
been at the southern end of the Court of the Allierca. This part does
seem to have been altered or pulled down to make way for the palace
of Charles "V. The court was originally called, apparently from the
pool of water which always occupied its centre, E1 Birkeh. It is
138 ft. long by 74 wide, the longer sides being singularly, and in
such a place ungracefuliy, plain. The end to the south terminates
with a double arcade of very beautiful design ; and that to the north
with a similar one, but only one storey in height, crowned by the
tower enclosing the great Hall of the Ambassadors (c), to which the
Court is practically an anteroom. This is an apartment 35 ft.
square, and about 60 in height, roofed by a polygonal dome of great
beauty of design, and covered, iike the walls, with arabesque patterns
of the greatest beauty. One of its most charming peculiarities,
however, is the deeply-recessed windows, looking down on the city,
and beyond that commanding a view of the delicious Vega, and the
mountains that bound it. It is one of the most beautiful scenes in
the world, of which the architect availed himself with the eye of
a true artist, who knew how to combine nature and art into a perfect
whole.
The other court, called that of the Lions (a a), from the beautiful
fountain supported by twelve conventional-looking animals so called,
is smaller (115 ft. by 66 from wall to wall), but far more beautiful and
elaborate than the other ; indeed, with the apartments that surround
it, this is the gem of Arabian art in Spain—its most beautiful and
most perfect example. 1 It has, however, two defects which take it
entirely out of the range of monumental art : the first is its size, which
is barely that of a modern parish church and smaller than many ball-
rooms ; the second its materials, which are only wood covered with
stucco. In this respect the Alhambra forms a perfect contrast to such
a building as the Hall at Karnac, or any of the greater monumental
edifices of the ancient world, and, judged by the same standard,
would be found lamentably deficient. But, in fact, no comparison
is applicable between objects so totally different. Each is a true
representative of the feeling and character of the people by whom
1 A perfect copy of tliis court was re-
produced by Mr. Owen Jones at the
Crystal Palace in 1854. Except being
slightly curtailed in plan, every dctail
and every dimension is identical with the
original.
ALHAMBBA.
553
Christian conquerors of Granada. Indeed it is not unlikely that the
Christian palace above mentioned, which stands strangely unsym-
metrically with the other buildings, follows the lines of the old
mosque. This could be in great measure determined if we could rely
upon the bearings of the different courts and buildings as given in
the plans hitherto published.
The principal entrance to the Alhambra seems always to have
been at the southern end of the Court of the Allierca. This part does
seem to have been altered or pulled down to make way for the palace
of Charles "V. The court was originally called, apparently from the
pool of water which always occupied its centre, E1 Birkeh. It is
138 ft. long by 74 wide, the longer sides being singularly, and in
such a place ungracefuliy, plain. The end to the south terminates
with a double arcade of very beautiful design ; and that to the north
with a similar one, but only one storey in height, crowned by the
tower enclosing the great Hall of the Ambassadors (c), to which the
Court is practically an anteroom. This is an apartment 35 ft.
square, and about 60 in height, roofed by a polygonal dome of great
beauty of design, and covered, iike the walls, with arabesque patterns
of the greatest beauty. One of its most charming peculiarities,
however, is the deeply-recessed windows, looking down on the city,
and beyond that commanding a view of the delicious Vega, and the
mountains that bound it. It is one of the most beautiful scenes in
the world, of which the architect availed himself with the eye of
a true artist, who knew how to combine nature and art into a perfect
whole.
The other court, called that of the Lions (a a), from the beautiful
fountain supported by twelve conventional-looking animals so called,
is smaller (115 ft. by 66 from wall to wall), but far more beautiful and
elaborate than the other ; indeed, with the apartments that surround
it, this is the gem of Arabian art in Spain—its most beautiful and
most perfect example. 1 It has, however, two defects which take it
entirely out of the range of monumental art : the first is its size, which
is barely that of a modern parish church and smaller than many ball-
rooms ; the second its materials, which are only wood covered with
stucco. In this respect the Alhambra forms a perfect contrast to such
a building as the Hall at Karnac, or any of the greater monumental
edifices of the ancient world, and, judged by the same standard,
would be found lamentably deficient. But, in fact, no comparison
is applicable between objects so totally different. Each is a true
representative of the feeling and character of the people by whom
1 A perfect copy of tliis court was re-
produced by Mr. Owen Jones at the
Crystal Palace in 1854. Except being
slightly curtailed in plan, every dctail
and every dimension is identical with the
original.