What do the gardens and water throughout the Alhambra symbolize?

This austere yet magnificent space follows a traditional charbagh plan, a quadrilateral garden arrangement of four platforms divided by four water channels, symbolizing the four rivers and four gardens of Islamic paradise.



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There are three independent areas in the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaríes): the Mexuar, which corresponds to the semipublic part of the palace or selamlik, for justice administration and State affairs; the Comares Palace (Palacio de Comares), which was the official residence of the king; and the Palace of the Lions ( ...

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The Alhambra's nearly 26 acres include structures with three distinct purposes, a residence for the ruler and close family, the citadel, Alcazaba—barracks for the elite guard who were responsible for the safety of the complex, and an area called medina (or city), near the Puerta del Vino (Wine Gate), where court ...

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The Alhambra in Granada, Spain, is distinct among medieval palaces for its sophisticated planning, complex decorative programs, and its many enchanting gardens and fountains. Its intimate spaces are built at a human scale that visitors find elegant and inviting.

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10 Facts About the Alhambra in Granada
  • The name Alhambra means “the red” in Arabic; it's thought to have been inspired by the reddish color of the rammed earth outer walls.
  • The Alhambra spreads across nearly 26 acres, with more than a mile of walls, 30 towers and numerous smaller structures included on the site.


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v2 is an irrational number, 1.41421356…,a number that never ends. Puerta del Vino is a clear example of the proportion of a rectangle v2. It could be said that this entrance of the Alhambra has exactly these proportions. The only one that when folded on itself reproduces exactly the same proportion of the original.

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Islamic religious art cannot contain iconography, so we rarely see any sort of images of people or animals in these structures. However, in the Alhambra, the Muslim king had three paintings made that clearly show iconography. These paintings are in his personal space, so the iconography is allowed.

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