Spanish Fortress and Palace Alhambra - Coursework Example

ALHAMBRA: ANALYSIS OF A SPANISH FORTRESS AND PALACE March 2, Introduction Alhambra, also called the Red Fort, is an alcazaba (fortress), an alcázar (palace), and a small city (medina) in Granada, Spain, and it is arguably one of the greatest works of Islamic architecture culture from the Middle Ages. Perched on a hill, it is a fortress with a traditional citadel exterior façade (See Figure 1). It is commonly described as hiding a gem inside it because of the sophisticated interior designs of its various buildings.1 Alhambra reflects the legacy of centuries of Moorish architectural history, as Islamic rulers and Christian conquerors continued to add buildings and ornaments to it, or change it, according to their functional needs and stylistic demands. The origins of Alhambra can be traced to ninth century, although many of its buildings were completed from the thirteenth to fourteenth centuries.2 In addition, there is no record of the original architect/s of Alhambra. The paper analyzes the structure, function, and form, as well as the cultural, physical, and historical contexts of Alhambra. However, because of its numerous buildings and palaces, not all of them were exhaustively examined. Figure 1: The Palace Complex of the Alhambra Viewed from the Albaicin Hill Source: Lopez, “Alhambra”3 An Analysis of the Palatial Fortress Structure Alhambra follows the tapial construction method. Clay-rich earth was used to build it, as well as wood, ceramic, and plaster. Large defensive buildings like the Alhambra were made through rammed-earth material, where in extreme methods, fine parts of clay and silt were removed and a mixture of lime and sand materials, plus thick aggregate, was made to create lime concrete, also called tapial construction, a Nasrid construction method.4 Workers pressed lime concrete down to produce a significantly hard and resistant structure.5 Architects Camilla Mileto and Fernando Vegas studied architectural change at the Alhambra by conducting a stratigraphic analysis of the Western Gallery, Court of the Myrtles.6 They observed that the fabric of the walls were plastered and finished with gypsum mortar.7 The finishing is seen as belonging to the first building period because it followed the tapial surface.8 Thus, the form of Alhambra is build through rammed-earth construction that is characteristic of the Nasrid period. Function After discussing the structure, the functions of the building are described next. As a whole, Alhambra was established by the Nasrids, an Arab dynasty, as a residence for the rulers and a fortress.9 It was not yet the palace complex as we see today, but more of a citadel to defend the city. The palace complex is currently composed of three sectors which have the protection of a shared city wall, though these sectors had different functions. One sector served as a citadel, or barracks area, exclusive for the elite troop who guarded the entire complex.10 Another sector served as the palace area, the residential dwellings of the sultan and his close family.11 This is where the court’s everyday life occurred. The last sector was the Medina, a small town for court, administrative officials, and artisans who were there to meet the needs of the sultan.12 On the other side of the Puerta del Vino is the citadel, or Alcazaba. See Figure 2. The citadel has towers and walls that protect the three sections of the Alhambra. Alcazaba is constructed on a strategically favorable point from which the lower town and its nearby area could be monitored.13 Hence, the functions of Alhambra diversified as it branched from being a palace and citadel to including a small city for its different social groups. Figure 2: The Citadel Source: Lopez, “Alhambra”14 Form Alhambra integrates various traditional Islamic forms, including column arcades, various fountains and reflecting pools, geometrical designs, especially rectangular foundations, and Arabic and Islamic symbols, images, and inscriptions. Most of Alhambra’s palaces were made in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries for the emirs.15 The biggest and most prominent palace is the Palacio de Comares, which is a product of Muhammad V’s rebuilding that began in 1365.16 In 1370, Muhammad V ordered the beautification of the Comares Palace facade, which was in front of the Cuarto Dorado. See Figure 3. The door to the right provided entrance to the private apartments of the palace, while to the left were the administrator halls of the Comares complex.17 An inscription was made on the doorways, which says, “My gateway is a fork in the ways,” which captures its branched arrangement. A projecting roof once had painted bright colors and it is seen as a landmark of Islamic carpentry.18 Figure 3: Main facade of the Comares Palace Source: Lopez, “Alhambra”19 The fundamental technique for surface decoration in Alhambra was to employ dado tiling at the bottom of the wall and to wrap the upper part with carved stucco.20 Mural paintings are sparse, and woodwork could be seen mainly on ceilings, doors or architectural components.21 Carpentry developed further during Nasrid times. Whether there was structural or decorative function, “carpentry was polychromed with vivid colors to produce an astonishing mixture of shapes, colours and textures.”22The polychromy was done even in inaccessible areas (ceilings) and colors followed symmetrical patterns.23 The form of Alhambra was produced by a celebration of woodwork and colors for symbolic and ornamental functions. Cultural Context The builders of Alhambra could be locals, as well as other mostly unnamed European architects. Since the eleventh century, its various users added to the cultural purposes and changes of the palatial complex.24 The Alhambra was fortified and expanded since the 11th century and large-scale constructions generally ended with the Catholic kings who conquered Granada in 1492.25 The Nasrid dynasty made Alhambra its official residence, and their ruling produced the pinnacle of Islamic culture in Europe.26 Nowadays, only remnants of the original palaces and the city (medina) are preserved. The Nasrid palaces at present are composed of the following buildings and the rulers who commissioned them: “Partal Palace (Muhammad III, 1302–9), the Hall of the Mexuar (part of the Mexuar Palace, Ismail I, 1314–25), the Comares Palace (Yusuf I, 1333–54) and the Lions Palace (Muhammad V, 1362–91).”27 The internal decorations are the most celebrated because of their designs and patterns. Nasrid rulers commissioned these interior designs between 1232 and 1492, which now stood as the representative of classic Moorish architecture and ornament, although there were changes under Catholic kings.28 One of analyses of the Palace is that its planar and spatial order of logic drives its designs’ dispositions.29 The characteristics of Medieval Islamic Art, for instance, is mostly shown in the Palace of the Lions because of numerous forms that can be deduced from a rationalized reflection through the subtle ornaments of the design patterns and the multi-symmetrical configurations of artistic elements.30 Thus, Alhambra represents the various cultures of the people who lived in it and ruled Granada, manifesting the evolution of Spanish Islamic art and architecture.31 Physical Context Alhambra fits into the environment because it uses the same tapial construction as other buildings and these materials are local to the region.32 It is built to follow an urban, or city life, in the presence of the sultanate and their administrative personnel, where its large structure dominates the surroundings. The palace complex also has a shared wall. The most stylish apartments were in the northern part. These rooms also open to the north. In the Alhambra palaces, the vertical slope of the hill provided some level of protection. To ensure privacy and intimacy, the rooms did not open to the walls outside but go toward the patio, where a portico stood for the entrance of the well-designed rooms, usually located on the constricted sides of the patio. The walls frequently had a dado plentifully adorned in mosaic tiles (alicatado).33 Thus, the physical context of Alhambra is marked with its strong urban flavor built on local materials and generally Moorish design characteristics. Historical Context Alhambra witnessed centuries of changing rulers which affected it physically and functionally. Although scholars believed that Alhambra was first built in the 9th century, the first buildings might have been erected at around the 11th century, from the time of the Zirid dynasty, which created the first parts of the Alcazaba.34 The present appearance of the Alhambra, including its walls and first towers, were built by the Nasrids, the final Islamic sultanate on the Iberian Peninsula, during the 13th century.35 The dynasty chose the southern Spanish city of Granada as the capital of its kingdom.36 During this time, the sultanate existed peacefully with other Christian rules through a strategic series of treaties, vassalage, and military campaigns.37 Safe in relatively peaceful times, Alhambra pursued extensive cultural development.38 The Generalife is a summer palace made near the Alhambra, probably at the start of the Nasrid rule. When the 14th century dawned, Muhammad III (1302-1309) developed the infrastructure of the city center, the Medina, with the building of the mosque, the adjoining baths, the rauda (the sultans mausoleum), and the Puerta del Vino (“Wine Gate”), where the major street, the Calle Real, diverged from the city.39 The palace area of the Nasrids was first made through the commission of Ismail I (1314—1325).40 Some of his developments remained until the second half of the 14th century.41 The golden age of the Nasrid dynasty started during the ruling of Muhammad V in his second reign (1362-1391). He ordered the creation of the Riyad Palace, or Patio or Palacio de los Leones (“Palace of the Lions”).42 Palace of the Lions is one of the “masterpieces of Islamic culture.”43 Muhammad V is accountable for the majority of the present appearance of the Alhambra because he ordered the building and design of new buildings.44 Muhammad VII (1392—1408) ordered the erection of the Torre de las Infantas (“Towers of the Infantas”) on the city wall, and Yusuf III (1408—1417) changed the Generalife and built his own palace in the “Partal.”45 The 15th century reflected a period of decline because of advancing Christian armies. The emirs did not commission new buildings or designs to focus on these wars. After the Christians captured Alhambra, they strengthened the city walls and main gateways with circular bastions, so that they could endure an artillery attack.46 The Christian governors who lived here also changed the houses and the urban structure to meet their specific requirements.47 These works changed the Patio de la Reja and the Patio de Lindaraja. The Palace of Charles V is an example of European Renaissance and was made during the 16th century, acting as a counter design to its Moorish surroundings.48 It was planned in 1526 as an imperial palace but was not finished. The Convento de San Francisco (“Monastery of St. Francis”), the Charles V fountain at the Puerta de la Justicia, and the Puerta de las Granadas (“Pomegranate Gate”) were Renaissance contributions to the citadel.49 In 1576, the Friday Mosque was destroyed and the Church of S. Marfa de la Alhambra replaced it, which was finished sometime in 1617.50 The Palace is a currently major tourist attraction and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hence, the history of Alhambra showed that it generally reflected Moorish culture and history since most of its buildings were erected during the right of the Nasrids. Conclusion Alhambra represents the apex of Islamic architecture culture from the Middle Ages. Situated on top of a hill, it served its citadel functions well, including the protection of its sultanate. It is an impressive sight, an urban palatial form that housed interior gems of sophisticated woodwork and symmetrical colorful designs. However, Christian forces soon overwhelmed the Moors and replaced them. They made some changes in the functions of the buildings and designs, although Alhambra preserved its distinct Islamic identity because the Christian rulers did not destroy many of its Moorish buildings. As a present-day tourist attraction, Alhambra symbolizes the cultural climax of the Nasrids, with some influence of rulers and users who largely preserved it. Bibliography Cardell, C., Rodriguez-Simon, L., Guerra, I. and A. Sanchez-Navas. “Analysis of Nasrid Polychrome Carpentry At The Hall Of The Mexuar Palace, Alhambra Complex (Granada, Spain), Combining Microscopic, Chromatographic And Spectroscopic Methods.” Archaeometry 51, No. 4 (2009): 637-657. Eggleton, Lara. “History in the Making: The Ornament of the Alhambra and the Past-Facing Present.” Journal of Art Historiography, No. 6 (2012): 1-29. Lopez, J. Bermudez. “The Alhambra.” Islamic Arts & Architecture (2013). Last modified March 17, 2013. http://islamic-arts.org/2013/the-alhambra/ Mileto, Camilla, and Fernando Vegas. “Understanding Architectural Change at the Alhambra: Stratigraphic Analysis of the Western Gallery, Court of the Myrtles.” In Revisiting Al-Andalus: Perspectives on the Material Culture of Islamic Iberia and Beyond, edited by Glaire D. Anderson and Mariam Rosser-Owen, 193-208. Massachusetts: Koninklijke Brill, 2007. Petersen, Andrew. “Alhambra.” In Dictionary of Islamic Architecture. London: Routledge, 1996. Rabbat, Nasser. “The Palace of the Lions, Alhambra and the Role of Water in Its Conception.” Environmental Design: Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre, No. 2 (1985): 64-73. Sebastián, Eduardo, and Giuseppe Cultrone. “Technology of Rammed-Earth Constructions (“Tapial”) in Andalusia, Spain: Their Restoration and Conservation.” In Materials, Technologies and Practice in Historic Heritage Structures, edited by Maria Boştenaru Dan, Richard Přikryl, and Ákos Török, 11-28. New York: Springer, 2010. Stubbs, John H., and Emily G. Makaš. Architectural Conservation in Europe and the Americas. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Read More