Dar Al-Arusa

The palace is located on top of the Cerro del Sol Mountain, above the vegetable gardens of the Generalife and above Alijares and Silla del Moro.

The site was discovered by chance, while pine trees were being planted in the area in 1933. The excavation, which was headed by the architect Leopoldo Torres Balbás, lasted three years.

The site is centred around a central courtyard. On the northeast corner lie the remains of what has been identified as a hydraulic system involving the drawing of water from a well by waterwheel.

On the western side are the ruins of a long gallery open to the courtyard. The entire site is surrounded by a wall that may have been a barbican extending north and south. There appears to be evidence of paving beside the walls.

In the centre of the court are the remains of a pool, with signs of canalization—perhaps a drain.

The most built up area of the palace was located south of the court. A door on the central axis opened to various rooms. To the west, apparently surrounding the palace itself is a wall that, as has already been mentioned, may have been part of a barbican.

To the east lies the remains of the floor of a complete bath which was accessed from the court through a corridor with a double bend leading to a square room, in the centre of which was a circular shaped marble fountain with tiles, representing the most important decorative remains of the palace.

Further east was the bathroom, underneath which the partial remains of a hypocaust lie. The appearance of walls south of the bath would seem to indicate that there were more structures in the area at one time.

Fragments of plasterwork, pavings and tiles point to the importance of the palace.