Here in the Lindaraja courtyard, the Nazrid section of the Alhambra, which ends at the belvedere we just came from, links hands with the Christian part, which was initially built to house the court of the Catholic Monarchs and their descendants. Even the fountain, which dates from 1626, has a base that came from the Christian period, while the upper basin is from the Nazrid period. The columns were also reused, and come from other parts of the grounds.


The south of Spain had been a frontier land, of hybrid breeding and syncretism. When Emperor Charles V fell in love with the Alhambra, he helped the memory of its glorious past to be kept alive. As you already saw, his own quarters were in here while his palace was being built.

Just think how many people have come before us here to the Lindaraja courtyard. Distinguished visitors, the humble people of Granada, kings, queens, and men of science… One French poet had the unfortunate idea of writing his name here… What was it? Chato… Chateaubriand, that’s right! And that Spanish painter, Sorolla, also loved this courtyard. He was a pretty good painter, too!

Up there, where that double arched window is, that is the Lindaraja belvedere, where we though we saw Boabdil looking out before he left Granada. And underneath the belvedere, you can go into the Chamber of Secrets, where, if you stand in one corner and whisper, you can be heard on the opposite corner!



(c) (R) 2013, MUSMon com S.L.
Text (a) Carlos Madrid (2012)

Picture:
Source: Own work
Author: Julián Hernández Martínez (2013)