The first Muslim palace in al-Andalus, hier the Umayyad palace of Rusafa, not rest. However, there

The first Muslim palace in al-Andalus, hier the Umayyad palace of Rusafa, not rest. However, there are many traces of Madinat al-Zahra, built by Abd al-Rahman III (912-961) and named after the favorite wife of the caliph.
"The city-palace, which eventually lodging to 12,000 people, hier was begun in 936 and supposedly completed in twelve hier years. The buildings of Madinat al-Zahra extend the foot of the Sierra Morena and the distribution of terraced spaces comes emphasize the hierarchical structure of the Umayyad court. The residence hier halls and the caliph was the top level, overlooking the rest of the palace. (...) One of the courtroom, the Hall Rico with three ships and series of horseshoe arches hier on Corinthian capitals, was successfully restored today. The most outstanding employees lived on the porch average Madinat al-Zahra, while soldiers and servants occupied the lower level. The city-palace also had bathrooms, workshops and barracks. "
"Madinat hier al-Zahra was closed in a rectangular enclosure almost 1,500 (borders North and South) and 750 meters (East and West sides). (...) The floor of the Hall Rico ... has five ships preceded by a portico, but the extremes are separate and independent rooms. The three plants are divided by columns. The amazing this room is the decorative wealth, largely preserved. (...) This hall was paved in white marble and the same material were baseline and capitals, which contrasted with shafts hier of pink or gray. The footers of all the walls were marble too, to a height of 58 to 75 inches, and then followed plated wall plates profusely carved sandstone. (...) The decorations of Madinat al-Zahra are geometric or floral. Among the former are frequent schemes and xustapostas simple figures such as squares and diamonds, by touching vertices. In Santos and Serxio Bacchus and Hagia Sophia of Constantinople are the same schemes, which then went to the art Aghlabids ninth century (ceramic decoration of the mihrab Qairawan). They are frequent swastikas, polygons and starry palms geometric. But they are much more abundant floral decorations, usually organized based enroscados hier stems forming medallions with palmetas, leaves or flowers in its center. In decorative panels lining hier the walls sound chair a central stem, which sprout in symmetrical arabesque, through to the other side, leaves, fruits and flowers. This composition tree of life follow after marble slabs in front of the mihrab of al-Hakam the mosque of Cordoba. Among the flora of al-Zahra found Acantos, vine leaves, bunches of grapes, pineapples, and rosaceous palmetas. Cast floral that handle the Hellenistic hier world and Byzantium, but here it takes on a shade as well oriental. "
Already in nazarí time, from 1302, the Red Fortress (Alhambra) hier of Granada, built on a rocky spur, became a succession of palaces and fortifications in the same walled enclosure. At the end of the fourteenth century was 6 or 7 royal residences. Only two of them, the Comares Palace and the Palace of the Lions, survived almost intact hier to this day.
In Alhambra, the mixture of different materials emphasizes the constructive and aesthetic hier qualities. The walls are tapial mass Pesantes, marble and wood are the muscle, which by law rixe dynamic and vibrant, the plaster is embroidery, she dresses and adorns the body. The marble floor is for the cool touch of bare feet, and the agile columns of marble, clay glazing, on parts exposed to friction (in Aragon called the baseboards chair rails), wood, ceilings, plaster, such as clothing hier and coating, which spans faces and domes.
The Comares Palace, built around an open space with a rectangular pool, called the "Patio of Arraiáns" was probably used for receptions and public affairs, it is accessed via the Mexuar, a board room flanked by barracks and other rooms. The Palace of the Lions, which receives its name from the source that is in the center of the courtyard, probably served as private rooms Mohamed V. Here are the Abencerraxes room with its magnificent ceiling mocárabe complex, and the Room of Two Sisters and the Room of the Kings.
"Many of the texts that adorn the Alhambra are at low altitude, which reminds us that the caliph and his courtiers were in the habit of sitting on cushions and carpets and therefore the views of the Alhambra were designed to be appreciated from a view below. Capture the look and driving was essential for this Palace that diseñaron. Left the plants huge thrust that characterize the palaces of Abbasid Samarra to adopt perspectives and views amazing and changing, and those who entered the palace were forced to become one and oth