Courtyard of the Maidens

You can picture this as the perfect escape from the summer's heat centuries ago before the advent of airconditioning! Engineered for coolness and... more

by Joan Carroll

Title

Courtyard of the Maidens

Artist

Joan Carroll

Medium

Photograph - Digital Art

Description

You can picture this as the perfect escape from the summer's heat centuries ago before the advent of airconditioning! Engineered for coolness and serenity, the Patio de las Doncellas, ("The Courtyard of the Maidens") in the Alcazar of Seville features a long rectangular reflecting pool, sunken gardens, tiled walkways, and dark covered arcades. The Alcazar is certainly one of the highlights of a visit to Seville. It is a royal palace, originally a Moorish fort. The palace is renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain, being the most outstanding example of mudejar architecture found on the Iberian Peninsula. The name of this room refers to the legend that the Moors demanded 100 virgins every year as tribute from Christian kingdoms in Iberia. The lower level of the patio was built for King Peter I and includes inscriptions describing Peter as a "sultan". In the center is a large, rectangular reflecting pool with sunken gardens on either side. For many years, the courtyard was entirely paved in marble with a fountain in the center. However, historical evidence showed the gardens and the reflecting pool were the original design and this arrangement was restored. The upper story of the Patio was an addition made by Charles V. The addition was designed by Luis de Vega in the style of the Italian Renaissance although he did include both Renaissance and mudejar plaster work in the decorations. The upper levels of the Alcazar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site

Uploaded

January 22nd, 2015