THE ALHAMBRA - Granada:
Elevation of the FOUNTAINS OF LIONS |
IN the centre of the superb Court, above described, stands the FOUNTAIN
OF LIONS: the animals, twelve in number, are, and support on their
backs an alabaster bason richly carved and ornamented, out of which
rises a smaller bason. While the pipes were kept in good order, a
great volume of water was thrown up from the latter; which fell down
into the larger bason, and, passing through the lions, issued out
of their mouths into the large reservoir, which was of black marble,
thus forming a perpetual and refreshing cascade.
From this reservoir, the limpid stream was diffused by means of marble
channels through various apartments, and supplied the jets d'eau which
were constantly playing there. This noble fountain is supposed to
have been executed in imitation of the brazen sea, placed by King
Solomon in the Temple at Jerusalem. Some of the stucco-work in this
court, as well as in the Pateo del Agua, is a modern and very inferior
imitation of the Arabic, being coarse and dirty, and is rapidly mouldering
to decay.
The ancient work, on the contrary, which is out of the reach of hands,
is beautifully white, clean, and sharp. Not a single spider's web,
or insect of any kind, could the author discover in any part of the
court; while the stucco work, executed by order of later kings, was
covered with cobwebs in various parts. The wooden work of the Arabs
also continues free from worms and insects of every kind. |
 |
CarMalaga.Com Tip: The Alhambra
Lions court |
| The Lions' Court is
an oblong square, one hundred feet ill length, and fifty in breadth;
and is surrounded with a corridor of one hundred and twenty-eight
columns that support the arches, on which rest the upper apartments
of this enchanting palace. A beautiful portico, not unlike the portals
of some Gothic churches, projects into this court at each extremity;
the stuccoed ceiling of which is executed with equal perfection and
elegance. The colonnade is paved with white marble; and the slender
pillars themselves, are of the same material. They are disposed very
irregularly, being sometimes single, and at other times in pairs,
or clusters of three; but the magnificent coup-d'reil of the whole
is peculiarly pleasing to the eye of the astonished visitor. The columns
are about nine feet high, including the base and capital, and eight
inches and a half in diameter: the larger crescent arches above them,
are four feet two inches in width; and the smaller arches are three
feet wide. |
|
 |
More
about the Alhambra tourist information |
|
|
| |
| |
 |
CarMalaga car hire provides your vehicle right to you as you arrive
at Malaga Airport Car
hire Malaga Airport
|
 |
The best service |
|
Unlimited Km |
|
No queues |
|
24h road assistance |
|
Full equipe |
|
Credit C. not required |
|
Free extra driver |
|
No waiting time |
|
All taxes included |
|
