THE COURT OF THE LIONS
THE ALHAMBRA PALACE, SPAIN
IMAGE NUMBER 675
Completed towards the end of Muslim rule of Spain by Yusuf I (1333–1353), the Alhambra is a reflection of the culture of the last centuries ofMoorish rule. The Alhambra integrates natural site qualities with constructed structures and gardens, and is a testament to Moorish culture in Spain. The literal translation of Alhambra, "the red (female)," reflects the color of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The buildings of the Alhambra were originally whitewashed; however, the buildings as seen today are reddish. The decoration within the palaces comes from the last great period of Andalusian art in Granada. The Alhambra is a UNESCO world heritage site.
The Court of the Lions (Patio de los Leones) is an oblong courtyard, 116 ft (35 m) in length by 66 ft (20 m) in width, surrounded by a low gallery supported on 124 white marble columns. In the centre of the court is the Fountain of Lions, an alabaster basin supported by the figures of twelve lions in white marble, not designed with sculptural accuracy but as symbols of power. Each hour one lion would produce water from its mouth. At the edge of the great fountain there is a poem which praises the beauty of the fountain and the power of the lions, but it also describes their ingenious hydraulic systems and how theyworked, which baffled all those who saw them.
TECHNICAL NOTES
The image was taken with a hand-held Phase One 645 Camera at ISO 800. Exposure of 1/500th of a second and an aperture of f11. 45 mm Phase One wide angle lens with focal plane shutter. The image was captured on a Phase One IQ180 80 megapixel digital back. The image has been cropped and straightened using Capture One.