The Alhambra / being a brief record of the Arabian conquest of the Peninsula with a particular account of the Mohammedan architecture and decoration

by Albert Frederick Calvert

List of Coloured Illustrations.

Plate.	No.	Description.
[I.]	1	Ornament in Panels on the Walls, Hall of Ambassadors.
[II.]	2	Soffitt of an Arch, Court of the Fish-pond.
[III.]	3	Ornament Over Doorway at the Entrance, Court of the Lions.
[IV.]	4	Ornament in Doorway at the Entrance to the Veneta, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[V.]	5	Ornament on the Side of Windows, Upper Storey, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[VI.]	6	Ornament in Spandrils of Arches, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[VI.]	7	Ornaments in Spandrils of Arches, Hall of the Abencerrages.
[VII.]	8	Ornaments in Panels, Hall of the Ambassadors.
[VIII.]	9	Ornaments in Panels, Court of the Mosque.
[IX.]	10	Ornament over Arches at the Entrance to the Court of the Lions.
[X.]	11	Ornament on the Walls, Hall of the Abencerrages.
[XI.]	12	Ornament in Panels on the Walls, Court of the Mosque.
[XII.]	13	Spandril of an Arch of Window, Hall of Ambassadors.
[XIII.]	14	Brackets Supporting Ceiling of the Portico, Court of the Lions.
[XIV.]	15	Small Panel in Jamb of a Window, Hall of Ambassadors.
[XV.]	16	Small Panel in Jamb of a Window, Hall of Ambassadors.
[XVI.]	17	Small Panel in Jamb of a Window, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[XVII.]	18	Panel in the Upper Chamber of the House of Sanchez.
[XVIII.]	19	Soffitt of Great Arch at the Entrance of the Court of the Fish-pond.
[XIX.]	20	Spandril from Niche of Doorway at the Entrance of the Hall of Ambassadors, from the Hall of the Bark.
[XX.]	21	Lintel of a Doorway, Court of the Mosque.
[XXI.]	22	Capital of Columns, Court of the Lions.
[XXI.]	23	Capital of Columns, Court of the Lions.
[XXII.]	24	Capital of Columns, Court of the Lions.
[XXII.]	25	Capital of Columns, Court of the Lions.
[XXIII.]	26	Capital of Columns, Court of the Fish-pond.
[XXIII.]	27	Capital of Columns, Court of the Fish-pond.
[XXIV.]	28	Ornament on the Walls of the Windows of “Linda-raja’s” Balcony.
[XXIV.]	29	Ornament on the Walls of the Windows of “Linda-raja’s” Balcony.
[XXIV.]	30	Ornament on the Walls of the Windows of “Linda-raja’s” Balcony.
[XXIV.]	31	Ornament on the Walls of the Windows of “Linda-raja’s” Balcony.
[XXIV.]	32	Ornament on the Walls of the Windows of “Linda-raja’s” Balcony.
[XXIV.]	33	Ornament on the Walls of the Windows of “Linda-raja’s” Balcony.
[XXV.]	34	Court of the Lions.
[XXVI.]	35	Capitals in the Hall of Two Sisters.
[XXVII.]	36	Details of the Great Arches in the Hall of the Bark.
[XXVIII.]	37	Arches, Court of the Lions and Hall of Justice.
[XXIX.]	38	Details of the Great Arches.
[XXX.]	39	Frets from Different Halls.
[XXXI.]	40	Detail of an Arch, Court of the Fish-pond.
[XXXII.]	41	Detail of an Arch, Portico of the Court of Lions.
[XXXIII.]	42	Cornice of the Roof, Court of the Mosque.
[XXXIV.]	43	Divan, Court of the Fish-pond.
[XXXV.]	44	Actual State of the Colours.
[XXXVI.]	45	Windows in the Alcove, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[XXXVII.]	46	The Vase.
[XXXVIII.]	47	Details of one of the Arches, Hall of Justice.
[XXXIX.]	48	Details of the Arches, Hall of the Abenderrages.
[XL.]	49	Centre Painting on the Ceiling, Hall of Justice.
[XLI.]	50	Mosaic Dado in Centre Window on the North Side, Hall of Ambassadors.
[XLII.]	51	Mosaic Dados on Pillars Between the Windows, Hall of Ambassadors.
[XLIII.]	52	Mosaic Dados on Pillars Between the Windows, Hall of Ambassadors.
[XLIV.]	53	Mosaics in the Hall of the Two Sisters.
[XLV.]	54	Mosaic Dado Round the Internal Walls of the Mosque.
[XLVI.]	55	Azulejos. Painted Tiles.
[XLVII.]	56	Mosaic in the Baths.
[XLVII.]	57	Mosaic in the Baths.
[XLVIII.]	58	Mosiac from the Portico of the Generalife.
[XLIX.]	59	Blank Window, Hall of the Bark.
[L.]	60	Soffitt of Arch, Entrance of the Hall of Abenderrages.
[LI.]	61	Cornice at Springing of Arch of Doorway at the Entrance of the Ventana, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[LII.]	62	Border of Arches.
[LII.]	63	Border of Arches.
[LIII.]	64	Border of Arches.
[LIV.]	65	Border of Arches.
[LIV.]	66	Border of Arches.
[LV.]	67	Ornament in Panels on the Wall, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LVI.]	68	Ornaments Painted on the Pendants, Hall of the Bark.
[LVI.]	69	Bands, Side of Arches, Court of the Lions.
[LVIII.]	70	Bands, Side of Arches, Court of the Lions.
[LVIII.]	71	Bands, Side of Arches, Court of the Lions.
[LIX.]	72	Ornaments on Panel, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LX.]	73	Ornaments on Panels, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXI.]	74	Ornaments on Panels, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXII.]	75	Ornaments on Panels, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXIII.]	76	Frieze in the Upper Chamber, House of Sanchez.
[LXIV.]	77	Cornice at Springing of Arches, Windows of the Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXV.]	78	Spandril of Arch. From the Centre Arch of the Court of the Lions.
[LXV.]	79	Spandril of Arch. From the Entrance to the Divan, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[LXVI.]	80	Details of the Wood-work of the Door to the Hall of Abencerrages.
[LXVII.]	81	Spandril of Arch. Hall of Justice.
[LXVII.]	82	Spandril of Arch. Hall of Justice.
[LXVIII.]	83	Ornaments on the Walls of the Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXIX.]	84	Spandril of Arch. From the Entrance to the Court of Lions from the Court of the Fish-pond.
[LXIX.]	85	Spandril of Arch. From the Entrance to the Court of the Fish-pond from the Hall of the Bark.
[LXX.]	86	Mosaic. Pilaster, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXX.]	87	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXX.]	88	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[LXX.]	89	Mosaic. Pilaster, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXX.]	90	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[LXX.]	91	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[LXX.]	92	Mosaic. Pilaster, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXXI.]	93	Plaster Ornaments, used as Upright and Horizontal Bands Enclosing Panels on the Walls.
[LXXII.]	94	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXXII.]	95	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXXII.]	96	Mosaic. Dado, in Centre Window, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXXII.]	97	Mosaic. From a Column, Hall of Justice.
[LXXII.]	98	Mosaic. Dado in the Baths.
[LXXII.]	99	Mosaic. Dado in Divan, Court of the Fish-pond.
[LXXII.]	100	Mosaic. Dado, Hall of the Two Sisters.
[LXXIII.]	101	Panels on Walls, Tower of the Captive.
[LXXIV.]	102	Blank Window, Hall of the Bark.
[LXXV.]	103	Rafters of a Roof Over a Doorway now Destroyed Beneath the Tocador de la Reyna.
[LXXVI.]	104	Band at Springing of Arch at the Entrance of the Hall of the Two Sisters from the Court of Lions.
[LXXVII.]	105	Panelling of the Centre Recess, Hall of Ambassadors.
[LXXVIII.]	106	Part of Ceiling of the Portico of the Court of the Fish-pond.
[LXXIX.]	107	Blank Window, Hall of the Bark.
[LXXX.]	108	Ornaments on the Walls, House of Sanchez.

“ANDALUS” is the name given by the Moors to that part of the Spanish Peninsula wherein they were all-powerful for eight centuries. Andalus comprehended the four kingdoms of Seville, Córdova, Jaen, and Granada. (Los Cuatro Reinos de Andalusia.)

About the year 403 of the Hegira (A.D. 1012) Granada first acquired importance. Záwí, the African chief who then ruled in Andalusia from Malaga to Almeria, declared himself independent, and transferred the seat of government from Elvira[1] to Granada. Little by little the whole population migrated to the new capital, so that Elvira dwindled to an insignificant village, whilst Granada rose to be a magnificent city, culminating in grandeur and importance during the reigns of three enlightened sovereigns of the Beni Nasr dynasty—Mohammed the First (Al-ghálib-billah, A.D. 1232-1272), who commenced the Alhambra;[2] Yúsuf the First (A.D. 1333), who added greatly to its beauty, and is regarded as the monarch who completed the building; and Mohammed the Fifth (Al-ghaní-billah), son of Yúsuf, who succeeded to the throne upon the assassination of his father in 1354, and who finished the decorations of many of the Courts and Halls of the Palace.

One of the earliest extant references to Granada is contained in the MS. of Ibnu Battúttah, the Moslem traveller, who wrote in the fourteenth century. About the year 1360 Ibnu Battúttah journeyed from Morocco to Andalus, and visited Granada, which he thus describes: “Granada is the capital of Andalus, and the husband of its cities; its environs are a delightful garden, covering a space of forty miles, and have not their equal in the world. It is intersected by the well-known river Sheníl[3] (Xenil) and other considerable streams, and surrounded on every side by orchards, gardens, groves, palaces, and vineyards. One of the most pleasant spots in its neighbourhood is that known by the name of ’Aynu-l-adamar—the fountain of tears—which is a spring of cold and limpid water placed in the midst of delightful groves and gardens.” The suburb of Granada here referred to, preserves to this day its Arabic name corrupted into Dinamar, or Adinamar. It is a pleasant and much-frequented spot, close to Granada.

The city of Granada was held in the highest estimation by Andalusian poets. One ancient eulogist says: “If that city could reckon no other honour but of having been the birthplace of the Wizír Ibnu-l-khattíb, that alone would be sufficient. But Granada has not its like in the world: neither Cairo, Baghdád, nor Damascus can compete with it; we can only give an idea of its worth by comparing it to a beautiful bride, of whose dower it should form part.”