DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7431#0021
A DESCRIPTION OF THE ALHAMRA AT GRANADA.
11
plate xxiii.
the king's bath.
plate xxiv.
the queen's bath.
On account of the frequent ablutions required by the Koran,
the baths constitute the most important part of the royal
palace; accordingly no labour or expense has been spared,
in order to render them magnificent. Passing by what is called
the common bath, (which in any other place beside this
palace of enchantment, would justly command admiration),
we proceed to the baths appropriated to the sovereign and his
consort. These apartments are both finished in an exquisite
style, but the Queen's bath is the most richly ornamented
with gilding and porcelain. The basons, containing the water,
are of white marble; the walls are covered, to the height of
the cornices, with beautiful black and white mosaics. The
vaulted stone roof is perforated with the ventilators; through
which a soft and skilfully managed light is admitted into this
voluptuous retreat. The Arabic inscription in the King's
bath consists of these following sentences, so often repeated
in the Alhamra:—" There is no conqueror but God," and
Glory to our Lord, the Sultan Abu AbdillahT
plate xxv.
concert room of the baths.
Contiguous to the baths was a lofty saloon, in which the
royal family listened to the performances of the musicians.
These were stationed in the elevated tribune in the centre of
our engraving; while the court sat below on costly carpets.
The columns that support this noble saloon, are of white
marble: the mosaics, which are here in the greatest abun-
dance, are uncommonly beautiful, particularly those between
the columns, which are black, green, yellow, and white, set
in a green border. The roof is covered with tiles, and the
woodwork beneath is richly ornamented, especially the three
lattices or windows, and the different recesses, whose complex
ornaments exceed every thing of the kind that has been exe-
cuted in modern times. The Cufic inscriptions, which are so
numerous in this part of the palace, are only repetitions of
those described in the preceding plate.
plate xxvi.
a section of the baths in the alhamra.
In this plate is indicated the relative situation of the different
apartments belonging to the baths.
A. a. Is the noble vaulted hall communicating with the baths and the concert room .
it is delineated and described in Plates XX, XXI, and XXII, supra.
B. The King's Bath, see Plate XXIII.
C. The Queen's Bath, see Plate XXIV.
D. The concert Room, or Saloon of Music, see Plate XXV.
plate xxvii.
a ground plan of the baths, in the alhamra.
Explanation of the Letters of Reference in this Plate.
A. A. A. Entrances to the quarter of the Palace containing the Baths.
B. B. B. B. B. B. Passages communicating with the different apartments and Baths.
C. C. Apartments, looking into
D. D. A court with a fountain in its centre.
E. E. Baths and dressing rooms.
F. F. F. Warm Baths.
G. G. G. The place where the water was heated : the copper vessels anciently em-
ployed for this purpose were sold, upwards of thirty years since, by the then
Governor of the Alhamra, for the sum of 14,000 reals, about ,£350. sterling.
From these coppers, the warm water was conducted between the walls to the
different baths, by means of pipes communicating with them, and which are
distinctly shewn by the white line.
I. I. I. I. I. I. i. Other baths and apartments : the lines a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a.
designate steps by which the bathers descended into the water.
K. The great Hall of the Baths, delineated in plates XX, XXI, and XXII.
plate xxviii.
elevation of a small portico near the chapel.
After leaving the gate of judgment, and before we reach the
Plaza de los Algibes, or square of the cisterns, we pass through
a gate, which is now converted into a chapel. Adjacent to
this chapel is the charming little portico, of which our En-
graving presents an elevation: it is one of the best finished
parts of the palace; the delicate execution of its variegated
mosaics, the elegant form of the Cufic characters, which con-
tain the common inscription of the building, (" There is no
Conqueror but God,)" the elegant proportion of the pillars, all
together present a scene of unrivalled beauty. The window is
seen in perspective through the arch; and the prospect from
this window is truly grand and picturesque, commanding a
view, not only of the villa of Al Generalife, but also over the
exuberant Vega or plain of Granada, as far as the distant
mountains by which it is circumscribed.
plate xxix.
north side of the pateo del agua, or great fountain.
plate xxx.
elevation of the portico on the north side of the
pateo del agua.
plate xxxi.
a view of the south side of the pateo del agua.
Nearly in the centre of the palace, stands the noble Court and
Fountain delineated in these three engravings. For their relative
situation, see Plate XII. fig. 4. 4. p. 8. The cool temperature
11
plate xxiii.
the king's bath.
plate xxiv.
the queen's bath.
On account of the frequent ablutions required by the Koran,
the baths constitute the most important part of the royal
palace; accordingly no labour or expense has been spared,
in order to render them magnificent. Passing by what is called
the common bath, (which in any other place beside this
palace of enchantment, would justly command admiration),
we proceed to the baths appropriated to the sovereign and his
consort. These apartments are both finished in an exquisite
style, but the Queen's bath is the most richly ornamented
with gilding and porcelain. The basons, containing the water,
are of white marble; the walls are covered, to the height of
the cornices, with beautiful black and white mosaics. The
vaulted stone roof is perforated with the ventilators; through
which a soft and skilfully managed light is admitted into this
voluptuous retreat. The Arabic inscription in the King's
bath consists of these following sentences, so often repeated
in the Alhamra:—" There is no conqueror but God," and
Glory to our Lord, the Sultan Abu AbdillahT
plate xxv.
concert room of the baths.
Contiguous to the baths was a lofty saloon, in which the
royal family listened to the performances of the musicians.
These were stationed in the elevated tribune in the centre of
our engraving; while the court sat below on costly carpets.
The columns that support this noble saloon, are of white
marble: the mosaics, which are here in the greatest abun-
dance, are uncommonly beautiful, particularly those between
the columns, which are black, green, yellow, and white, set
in a green border. The roof is covered with tiles, and the
woodwork beneath is richly ornamented, especially the three
lattices or windows, and the different recesses, whose complex
ornaments exceed every thing of the kind that has been exe-
cuted in modern times. The Cufic inscriptions, which are so
numerous in this part of the palace, are only repetitions of
those described in the preceding plate.
plate xxvi.
a section of the baths in the alhamra.
In this plate is indicated the relative situation of the different
apartments belonging to the baths.
A. a. Is the noble vaulted hall communicating with the baths and the concert room .
it is delineated and described in Plates XX, XXI, and XXII, supra.
B. The King's Bath, see Plate XXIII.
C. The Queen's Bath, see Plate XXIV.
D. The concert Room, or Saloon of Music, see Plate XXV.
plate xxvii.
a ground plan of the baths, in the alhamra.
Explanation of the Letters of Reference in this Plate.
A. A. A. Entrances to the quarter of the Palace containing the Baths.
B. B. B. B. B. B. Passages communicating with the different apartments and Baths.
C. C. Apartments, looking into
D. D. A court with a fountain in its centre.
E. E. Baths and dressing rooms.
F. F. F. Warm Baths.
G. G. G. The place where the water was heated : the copper vessels anciently em-
ployed for this purpose were sold, upwards of thirty years since, by the then
Governor of the Alhamra, for the sum of 14,000 reals, about ,£350. sterling.
From these coppers, the warm water was conducted between the walls to the
different baths, by means of pipes communicating with them, and which are
distinctly shewn by the white line.
I. I. I. I. I. I. i. Other baths and apartments : the lines a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a.
designate steps by which the bathers descended into the water.
K. The great Hall of the Baths, delineated in plates XX, XXI, and XXII.
plate xxviii.
elevation of a small portico near the chapel.
After leaving the gate of judgment, and before we reach the
Plaza de los Algibes, or square of the cisterns, we pass through
a gate, which is now converted into a chapel. Adjacent to
this chapel is the charming little portico, of which our En-
graving presents an elevation: it is one of the best finished
parts of the palace; the delicate execution of its variegated
mosaics, the elegant form of the Cufic characters, which con-
tain the common inscription of the building, (" There is no
Conqueror but God,)" the elegant proportion of the pillars, all
together present a scene of unrivalled beauty. The window is
seen in perspective through the arch; and the prospect from
this window is truly grand and picturesque, commanding a
view, not only of the villa of Al Generalife, but also over the
exuberant Vega or plain of Granada, as far as the distant
mountains by which it is circumscribed.
plate xxix.
north side of the pateo del agua, or great fountain.
plate xxx.
elevation of the portico on the north side of the
pateo del agua.
plate xxxi.
a view of the south side of the pateo del agua.
Nearly in the centre of the palace, stands the noble Court and
Fountain delineated in these three engravings. For their relative
situation, see Plate XII. fig. 4. 4. p. 8. The cool temperature