Courtyard of the Maidens II
by Joan Carroll
Title
Courtyard of the Maidens II
Artist
Joan Carroll
Medium
Photograph - Digital Art
Description
One of the advantages of winter travel is sometimes you get lucky with the crowds. This is a perfect example! I could just sit on the 'stoop' at the end of this reflecting pool and 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 walkwaya, 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 Alc�zar 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.
FEATURED PHOTO, Spain Photography and Paints group, 1/27/15
FEATURED PHOTO, Spanish Theme Artwork Group, 1/26/15
Uploaded
January 23rd, 2015
Statistics
Viewed 1,911 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/29/2024 at 4:06 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet