Tuesday - 02| 7|2012

The Façade of Comares. Alhambra of Granada

The Sultan received his vassals at the foot of the Façade of Comares, which separated the administrative and familiar sectors inside the Palace.

Façade of Comares

The majestic building stands opposite the gallery of the Golden Room. Its construction was ordered by Muhammad V in 1370 in commemoration of the conquest of Algeciras. Its ornamental composition enhances the structural distribution of the area, which is divided into three sections, combining patterns of golden triangles and squares, showing the evolution of Andalusian art.

Originally it was painted with bright colours. Especially remarkable is the beautifully decorated eave, a masterpiece of Islamic woodwork. The combination of geometric, epigraphic and floral ornamental elements is displayed to perfection in this Façade

Before the Façade, and especially at the top of the stairs, as a symbol of the legitimacy of the throne, the Sultan gave audience and imparted justice to his vassals, following the tradition that dated back to antiquity. 

 The Façade separated the administrative and public sector from the private and familiar part of the Palace. The right door led to the family and servants quarters. The left door led to the core of the Palace, after having followed a Z-shaped sloping corridor with no other lighting than that of the Palace, which brightly entered from the other end, all of which highlighting symbolic terms of the royalty of the premises.