Generalife
The Generalife (; ) was a summer palace and country estate of the Nasrid rulers of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus. It is located directly east of and uphill from the Alhambra palace complex in Granada, Spain. Etymology. The most commonly cited etymology for the name "Generalife" is that it derives from "jannat al-‘arīf" () which may variously mean "Garden of the Architect", "Garden of the Artist", "Garden of the Gnostic", or even "Garden of the Flautist". According to Robert Irwin, however, this traditional etymology is unlikely and the true origin of the name is not clearly known. An earlier  version of the name recorded in the 16th century by Marmol was "Ginalarife", which J.D. Latham suggests is evidence that the first word was originally "jinan" (; a plural version derived from the same root), not "jannat". The original name of the Generalife may have simply been the equivalent of "Principal Orchard". An ornamental inscription by Ibn al-Yayyab inside the palace names it as the "Dar al-Mamlakat as-Sa'ida" ("House of the Felicitous Kingdom"). History. Based on the oldest decorations studied in the palace, the Generalife was most likely constructed by Muhammad II (r. 1273–1302) at the end of  the 13th century, or possibly by Muhammad III (r. 1302–1309) at the beginning of the 14th century. Even if he did not begin its construction, Muhammad III at least contributed to some of its early decoration and he was responsible for adding the "mirador" chamber in the palace's northern pavilion. Later Nasrid rulers carried out their own works on it in turn. According to an inscription, it was remodelled and redecorated soon after by Isma'il I in 1319. Several inscriptions around the entrance to the "Salón Regio" were composed by Ibn al-Jayyab, Isma'il's vizier and court poet . There is evidence that Muhammad V (ruled 1354–1359 and 1362–1391), who carried out extensive construction inside the Alhambra, also carried out works here. Lastly, Yusuf III (r. 1408–1417) remodelled the southern sections of the palace in the 15th century. The Generalife is one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens. However, the present-day gardens today date from various changes and creations made since the 16th century, after the beginning of Spanish Christian rule in Granada, and up the 20th century. Venetian traveler Andrea Navagero visited the Generalife in 1524–26, providing a description of it before the majority of subsequent Spanish  modifications had taken place which has been useful to modern scholars in reconstructing the original appearance of the palace and its gardens. Théophile Gautier, a mid-19th century visitor, complained that: The present-day look of the gardens, in particular the "Jardines Nuevos", is in large part due to Leopoldo Torres Balbás and Francisco Prieto Moreno, who rearranged much of it between 1931 and 1951 and imparted Italian influences on their design. In 1958 a major fire destroyed or damaged much of the northern sections of the Generalife. However, the damage from the fire and the subsequent repairs that were undertaken  also allowed for significant excavations to document the original form of the gardens. In the "Patio de la Acequia" archeologists discovered the original Nasrid-era paved paths and managed to identify the original soil of the Moorish gardens buried under 70 centimeters of newer layers, as well as outlet holes along the sides of the central canal which enabled the gardens to be watered and irrigated. After the excavations, however, this original layer of paths and gardens was covered up again by half a meter of new material, the outlet holes were sealed, and modern gardens were replanted with flora  that had no botanical relation to the original Moorish gardens. The overall layout and divisions of the space, however, still preserve the original arrangement. More recent restorations of the gardens were more closely based on an analysis of the garden's original flora. Since 1984 the Generalife has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Alhambra. Description. The present-day site. The Generalife today includes a mix of original Nasrid-period elements as well as extensive modern elements (especially in the appearance of the gardens). The walkways are paved in traditional Granadian style with a mosaic of pebbles : white ones from the River Darro and black ones from the River Genil. The outer gardens. The Generalife gardens occupy three large terraces on the hillside, each measuring about 35 metres wide by 250 metres long. The two lower terraces, on the southwest side, are occupied by market gardens and orchards. Known today as "Las Huertas", these gardens have served this purpose since the 14th century. The highest terrace is occupied by the "Jardines Nuevos" ("New Gardens"), a series of 20th-century gardens that form the main approach to the historic palaces today. The southern part of this garden area  was designed by Francisco Prieto Moreno and finished in 1951. It includes walls formed by trimmed cypress trees and a large cruciform pool inspired by Islamic/Moorish gardens, along with other decorative plants. An open-air theatre was also added here in 1952. The northern part of the gardens, which features a rose bush labyrinth, was designed by Leopoldo Torres Balbás in 1931. The main palace. The Generalife Palace itself stands on a fourth terrace above and north of the outer gardens. Several smaller garden terraces also climb the hillside above this, with some auxiliary buildings are located. The core  of the palace complex is centered on the "Patio de la Acequia" ("Courtyard of the Water Canal"), the largest structure. The courtyard is about four times as long as it is wide, measuring 12.8 metres by 48.7 metres. It is entered via a smaller courtyard, the "Patio de Polo", on its south side, which in turn is accessed through another minor courtyard, known as the Dismounting Courtyard. The word "acequia" is derived from the Arabic word "al-saqiya", meaning a water canal or water supply. The building is arranged around a long interior courtyard, occupied by a garden which is  split into four equal elongated flowerbeds. This type of garden with a four-part division has its historical roots in the Persian "chahar bagh"-type gardens, a model which spread westward across the Islamic world and is also found in the various "riyad" gardens of Al-Andalus and the Maghreb. Between these, along the courtyard's long axis, runs a water channel or pool lined on either side with water jets spouting water across the pool. On the courtyard's short axis is a paved path. At the middle of this path, in the axial center of the courtyard, is a  paved platform, which originally would have had its own central fountain. Today, two fountains, consisting of a low round water basin with a central spout, are located at the north and south ends of the water channel. Aligned with the middle of the courtyard is also a small belvedere or "mirador" (lookout) chamber that projects outward from the western wall of the garden. The square chamber measures 3.98 metres per side and its interior is decorated with carved stucco. This is probably the earliest known "mirador" in Nasrid architecture, establishing a feature that appeared in many subsequent palaces. The "Patio  de la Acequia" is framed by pavilion-like structures at its north and south ends. To the south, the "Pabellón Sur" ("South Pavilion") is a two-floor structure with a portico fronting its courtyard side and is less well-preserved than the north pavilion. The north pavilion was originally called "Majlis al-Akbari" (meaing roughly "the Main Hall") or "Majlis al-'As'adi" ("the Fortunate Hall") in Arabic. is preceded by a portico of five arches with a larger central arch. The arches feature richly-carved stucco decoration with a "sebka" motif and bands of cursive Arabic inscriptions. Behind the arches is  a roofed gallery space covered by a wooden ceiling of octagonal coffers. This gallery leads to another chamber, known as the "Salón Regio" (Royal Chamber), via a stucco-decorated entrance of three arches. The chamber is covered by another wooden ceiling. The arches and upper walls in the chamber are covered with more stucco decoration, including an upper frieze of "muqarnas" (or "mocárabes") sculpting. At the middle of the northern side of the chamber is a tower incorporating a "mirador" chamber with more intricate stucco decoration. This "mirador" provides views of the Albaicin from windows on three sides. Directly above  Patio de la Acequia, on its northeast side, is the "Patio de la Sultana" or "Patio del Ciprés de la Sultana" ("Courtyard of the Sultana" or "Courtyard of the Cypresses of the Sultana"). Occupied by pools, gardens, and paved paths, this courtyard's current design and construction date from after the Nasrid period. The arcaded structure on its north side was built between 1584 and 1586. The Water Stairway and the upper gardens. Above the "Patio de la Sultana" in turn is the celebrated Water Stairway or "Escalera del Agua", a four-flight staircase whose balustrades on either side are  carved with water channels that run along their top and along the entire length of the staircase. The flights of the stairway are interrupted by small circular terraces or landings at the middle of which are fountains. At the top of the stairway is a small 19th century pavilion known as the Romantic Pavilion ("Pabellón Romántico"). Next to the Stairway and to the "Patio de la Sultana" are the High Gardens or "Jardines Altos", arranged across several terraces climbing up the hillside. At the southeast end of the gardens and of the main palace structure is the "Paseo de las  Adelfas" ("Walk of the Oleanders"), which today is the path used by visitors to exit the Generalife. Original appearance and function under Nasrid rule. Overall layout. The palace and the gardens were originally used as a private retreat and summer palace for the Nasrid rulers and their family, away from the official business that took place in the Alhambra. The grounds were originally enclosed by a long wall, no longer present. In this regard, it was similar in function to other such royal countryside estates that had existed as far back as the early Umayyad emirate (8th-10th centuries) of Cordoba  and which are also found in some historic cities of North Africa, such as the Agdal Gardens of Marrakesh. Much like these other garden estates, it is likely that large parts of the Generalife's grounds would also have been used as orchards, as pasturage for horses, and as kitchen gardens for ingredients. Indeed, one major function of the Generalife's gardens was agricultural production. Two other separate palaces were also built on the same hillside nearby during the Nasrid period: the Alijares and the Dar al-'Arusa, although they were located further east and little remains of them today. The  Silla del Moro (the "Seat of the Moor"), a ruined structure today on the hilltop overlooking the Generalife, was once a fort and monitoring post that protected the water supply infrastructure in this area. Although a main entrance existed for visitors at the southern end of the grounds, the Nasrid rulers could reach the Generalife palace directly from the Alhambra through a private covered passage, partly sunken and hidden between walls, that crossed the ravine between them. This passage, which still mostly exists today, began at the Torre de los Picos on the Alhambra side and crossed the orchards and  market gardens until it reached the Generalife Palace through a group of fortified towers at the palace's southwestern end, granting direct entry into what is now the "Patio de Polo". Roughly halfway along this passage was a small irregular courtyard with a watering trough for animals. A lower gate along the same passage also granted direct access to the market gardens. The palace complex. The "Patio de la Acequia", the "Patio de la Sultana", and the Water Stairway ("Escalera del Agua") all existed in the Nasrid period before the 16th century, although the "Patio de la Sultana" has been  completely remade since then. The "Patio de la Acequia" retains significant original elements alongside later modifications. Its gardens are modern replacements but they follow the original layout: a quadripartite division with a central water channel running down its long middle axis. The pavilion structure at the southern end of the courtyard, the "Pabellón Sur" ("Southern Pavilion"), has been the most heavily modified section, but was originally part of the main residence for the ruler and his family. The southwestern wall of the gardens, which today consists of an open gallery passage lined with windows overlooking the Alhambra, was originally a  much taller wall with no external windows, making the garden much more private. A short portion of the original wall, still covered with decoration, is still visible at its northern end. The "mirador" (lookout pavilion) at the middle of the wall, however, with low windows and interior stucco decoration, did exist in the original and allowed for views onto the outside. The northern pavilion of the courtyard, which contains the "Salón Regio", preserves more of its original elements. The projecting tower on its north side, which includes another "mirador" chamber with original stucco decoration, was added by Isma'il I in  1319. However, the current upper story of the pavilion, consisting of an open gallery, was added by the Catholic Monarchs in 1494. The Generalife had all the required amenities of a full self-contained private palace. These included a bathhouse and a prayer room, whose remains were excavated after the 1958 fire. The bathhouse was likely located close to the present-day "Patio de la Sultana", where remains of its hypocaust system and of a large water channel were uncovered. The prayer room, which is mentioned in 16th-century sources, likely stood on the site of the small present-day  pavilion known as the Romantic Pavilion ("Pabellón Romántico"), located at the top of the Water Stairway. Old foundations were discovered here under the current structure which was built in 1836. The original gardens of the palace had very little botanical relation to the present-day gardens which reflect 19th-century and 20th-century Spanish tastes. Thanks to the early 16th-century descriptions of Navagero and to the 1958 excavations, the original characteristics of the gardens are known. In the "Patio de la Acequia" the flower beds were sunken below the level of the surrounding walkways. The beds were not very  deep, indicating that they were planted with relatively low plants like myrtle bushes, although some deeper pits were made to allow for larger plants like orange trees. The fountains of the original Generalife were also different. The lines of water jets in the "Patio de la Acequia" are not original and were installed in the 19th century. However, jet fountains were probably still present in some parts of the palace. Navagero, for example, described a fountain in one of the lower courtyards (probably the "Patio de Polo") which spouted a jet of water ten yards into the air. This has  been tentatively corroborated by the remains of the palace's extensive water supply infrastructure which seems to have provided more water than would have been needed for simple irrigation. Water supply system. Water was provided to the Generalife by the "Acequia Real" (also known as the "Acequia del Rey" or "Acequia del Sultan"), which also supplied water to the Alhambra more generally and still exists in large part today. It draws water from the Darro River at an uphill location in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, about 6.1 kilometers east of the Alhambra. A smaller branch known as the  Acequia del Tercio also split off from it several kilometers upstream and proceeded along higher ground before arriving at the Generalife near the present-day "Pabellón Romántico", allowing for the provision of water to the upper gardens, the Water Stairway, and the former bathhouse. The main branch, proceeding along lower ground, also arrives at the Generalife palace and supplies water to the "Patio de la Acequia". The channels generally ran along the surface but some parts ran through tunnels cut directly into the bedrock. These channels, in combination with a complex hydraulic system of water tanks and water wheels, supplied  and distributed water for the whole gardens. One part of this hydraulic complex, the "Albercones", consists of a medieval water tank which could hold 400 cubic meters and allowed for the irrigation of higher orchards and gardens. It is located on the hillside above the "Jardines Nuevos" today. Two more modern reservoirs also exist next to it today: one built by Torres Balbas in 1926, and another added by Prieto Moreno in the 1930s. The reservoir was supplied with water through a well 17.4 meters deep located on a platform on its southwest side, which was originally covered by a  rammed-earth tower inside which was an animal-powered water-wheel mechanism that drew water from the well. The well leads to an underground gallery or channel whose lower opening is near the present-day "Paseo de las Adelfas". This underground gallery drew water directly from the "Acequia Real" as it flowed past the gardens, as well as from the higher "Acequia del Tercio" which intersected it. Both canals continue past the "Albercones" and join together before turning back towards the Alhambra, where the water enters via an aqueduct next to the "Torre del Agua" at the Alhambra's east  end. Cultural influence. There is an imitation of part of the Generalife at Roundhay Park in Leeds, UK.