Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-01-30
THE ALHAMBRA.
PRESENT APPEARANCE OF THE RENOWNED
MOORISH PALACE.

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Describing the Alhambra, q writer
says: "The Moorish palace, mostly but
one story high, is irregularly built about
number of courts. The exterior is
plain almost to ugliness. We pass
through doorway-but little more
than modest hole in the wall-and en-
ter first an oblong court some seventy
feet broad and twice as long. Most Of
this open space is given to pond,
where, tradition says, the ladies Of the
harem were wont to bathe in Moorish
days, while guards made the curious
keep their distance. Mr.. Irving, in
his charming description of the Alham-
BIZ, tells of his frequent baths in the
same spot. On each side of the court
is light portico supported by horse
shoe arches which spring from marvel
ously slender columns. The next court,
the famous Court Of Lions, has nearly
the same shape and size. It takes its
name from large fountain basin in its
center, which rests on the backs of
very rudely carved lions: an apparent
exception to the rigid Mohammedan in
depreciation of the second command
ment. The highly ornamented portico
that surrounds.this court is Of still great
er elegance than the one in the court
preceding. The third and last court
the Rindaraja, so often mentioned af-
fectionately by Mr.. Irving-is planted
with citron and orange trees, and is on
lower level than the others.
Most of the great halls of the Alham-
bra open on these courts, and descrip-
ton of the magnificent Hall of Ambas-
sadors will give an idea of all. 1t is an
immense spare room, as lofty as it is
broad On one side it seems almost en-
tirely open to the court, owing to the
great width of the entrance; in the
three remaining sides are deep window
embrasures cut through the wall, which
is unusually large. But it is not so
much the size and arrangement OF the
room as it is its wealth Of strange dec.
Grafton that gives it its peculiar Moor
ish character. Tie ceiling defies de-
scription. 1t is more round than fat,
and yet not :round; more pointed than
round, and yet not pointed. Ii an
ocean were ruffled by numberless wave
lets, each with its wrinkles turned in
side out, it would have some resem-
blance to this ceiling, which is, in turn.
intricate as honeycomb and pictur-
esque as q stalactite cave roof. The
same fantastic wantonness of ornament
is displayed on the walls. Bright-col-
ored porcelain tiles reach from the floor
breast high, and above these not o
square inch that has leval surface can
be discovered by the most patient
search. Finely executed arabesques OF
the most complicated form, yet dis
playing considerable regularity when
examined attentivly, join with myster-
ious inscriptions in filling every iota OF
space.
"All this luxurious ornamentation is
executed in stucco, the lines being
channeled from an eighth to quarter
of an inch deep. CoIoring in red, blue
and gold was used originally to height
en- the effect, but this has wholly dis
appeared with the lapse Of time. In
the center of the chamber is small
fountain whose water escapes through
open cutters along the floor. Running
water was always necessary to Moor's
happiness; indeed, to hear the unceas-
ing FLASHING of fountains is the chief
delight of Orientals to this day."