Granada and the Alhambra: A brief description of the ancient city of Granada, with a particular account of the Moorish palaceCalvert, Albert Frederick
History
Granada and the Alhambra: A brief description of the ancient city of Granada, with a particular account of the Moorish palace
Calvert, Albert Frederick
Alhambra (Granada, Spain); Art -- Spain -- Granada; Granada (Spain) -- Description and travel
Opposite this hall, on the north side of the Lions’ Court, is the Sala
de las Dos Hermanas (or, of the Two Sisters), so called after two twin
slabs of marble let into the pavement. An exquisite arch gives
admittance from the court to a narrow corridor, which communicates on
the right with the upper storey, and with the mirador or latticed
balcony, from which the ladies of the Harem would gaze into the _patio_
below. The hall is as rich, as graceful, as suggestive of Eastern luxury
and repose as that which we have just left. In each wall is an arched
opening, two being entrances, the others admitting to alcoves somewhat
more shut off than in other parts of the Alhambra. Above each arch is a
window corresponding to the apartments in the upper storey, now
vanished. The roof exhibits the same marvellous combinations of
geometrical forms, the same confused symmetry, as are seen in the Sala
de los Abencerrages. Indeed, this hall is generally (but not
universally) considered the more admirable of the two. The surface of
the walls is hidden beneath costly reliefs of stucco and azulejos.
Inscriptions on the sixteen medallions and cartouches have been
deciphered into a long poem by Ibn Zamrek, composed in honour of
Mohammed V., and translated into eleven verses of Spanish by Valera. One
verse exhorts us “to look attentively at my elegance and reap the
benefit of a commentary on decoration; here are columns ornamented with
every perfection, the beauty of which has become proverbial.”
In this magnificent apartment formerly stood the famous vase (_el
jarron_), which tradition says was discovered in one of the subterranean
chambers of the Palace, full of gold. It is now in the little Alhambra
Museum. The vase, which dates from the fourteenth century, and is
beautifully enamelled in white, blue, and gold, is described by Baron
Davillier in his work on Spanish Pottery.
Beyond the Hall of the Two Sisters is a long, narrow apartment called
the Sala de los Ajimeces (Hall of the Twin Windows). Its ceiling and
decorations are little inferior to those of the larger hall. On the
north side opens the exquisite Mirador de Lindaraja, or
prospect-chamber, affording a delightful view of the garden beyond. In
wealth of detail and ornamentation, this little bower of fifteen by ten
feet surpasses all other parts of the Palace. In Moorish days the
Sultanas could look from behind the lattices of the three windows across
the town and the plain of the Vega. When their eyes wearied of the
prospect they could scan the numerous poetical effusions traced upon the
walls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account