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Alhambra Palace, Granada

Type Object Region Iberian Peninsula Time 1431–1440

The Alhambra is a Nasrid palace-and-fortress complex on a hill in Granada, renowned for stucco carving, tilework, and courtyard water features.

Timeline

  1. 1408–1417Royal precinct of the Alhambra · GranadaDuring Yusuf III's reign the palace halls and gardens continued to be expanded, with stucco decoration extensively quoting Quranic verses and dynastic panegyrics; court poetics and architectural aesthetics mutually reinforced each other, strengthening the legitimacy of Nasrid rule.
  2. 1435–1440Court of the Myrtles and Court of the Lions · GranadaThe rectangular reflecting pool and arcaded Court of the Myrtles, and the Court of the Lions with its fountain supported by twelve stone lions, served in the late 1430s as the core venues for diplomatic receptions and court banquets; water features and geometric patterns constituted a model of Islamic garden architecture.
  3. 1437–1440Alcazaba fortress · GranadaBorder pressure on the Kingdom of Granada increased, the Alcazaba military fortress and palace precinct were maintained as one, and watchtowers and walls continued to serve defensive functions in the late 1430s, with palace splendor and fortress utility coexisting.

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