Fuente de los Leones (Fountain of the Lions)
Court of the Lions, Alhambra
Calle Real de la Alhambra
Granada, September 2023
“The central fountain of the courtyard, which has been modified and restored several times over the centuries, consists of a bowl-like marble basin surrounded by twelve lions. The lions face outwards and appear as if supporting the basin on their backs. All these components are made of Macael marble from Almeria. The existence of fountains with lion sculptures is documented at other sites of al-Andalus such as the earlier Medina Azahara near Cordoba. Other zoomorphic sculptures from al-Andalus are also attested, such as the larger example of the Pisa Griffin. The marble water basin was carved from a single piece of marble. While it appears completely white today, it was originally painted with subtle colors in order to highlight its carved decoration, but these colors have been lost due to repetitive cleaning over the centuries. This decoration includes a long inscription around the border of the bowl featuring a poem by Ibn Zamrak. The original hydraulic system was designed to keep a consistent water level in the basin.” (Court of the Lions, Wikipedia)
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