Balance, symmetry and water
After walking between rooms, corridors and smaller areas, we find the first one big patio of the Alhambra.
Something strange happened when I visited: I respected it, that’s right, what you hear, due to there being so many photos of the Alhambra, everyone talks about it, you see it on TV, there’s always something special, I thought (naïve of me), that when I got there I would not be so surprised, or that I would even be disappointed after expecting so much. It was in the patio that I had this feeling before entering.
I can assure you that I changed my mind right after crossing the threshold, all that “nonsense” left my head. Nothing, absolutely nothing can be compare to the feeling inside the Alhambra and the sensation that you are the star of the visit ;-) No matter what they say, No matter what you read, however scared you may be, a place like this will always comfort you!
Entering the Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles) at first hits you with the amazing scent of flowers that give name to the court; hence why this premier olfactive cannot be described with a photo or written about in a guide. Then there is the visual impact, of the symmetrical lines, of a canal that makes a perfect mirror, now you know not what is what, or where the division is between real and fake.
It is in these moments you start imagining people actually enjoying this place, not tourists eager for photos. The imagination overflows and you start to understand this place as a typical Andalusian house, with the fountain, the fresh patio, and you just feel like putting a carpet on the floor, laying down some pillows and have someone offer you a delicious mint tea while you stay with the good company ;-) This is one of the problems of the Alhambra, your imagination doesn’t stop. But ve cares?
In the patio we can enjoy two different architectural concepts, on the one hand the overwhelming and "alarming" Torre de Comares and, on the other, the beautiful porch with the columns which give way to the facilities visited earlier. The rooms on both sides, pure white, were used as accommodation for women, and the patio was the playground for families.
Do not miss out on the beautiful coffered ceilings and the laborious frieze muqarnas that you can find in the capitals and columns of the front facade of the Torre de Comares. As always, there is a whole series of writings and poems that accompany us along this balanced and symmetrical room.
I love this Muslim way of thinking that beauty is on the inside, the ostentation is not shown on the façade or outside; you have to get to know the inside order to know where the real beauty is. Without doubt in patios like this ;-)
I recommend, if you can, visiting at night, for the changing contrasts, of lighting, of sensations, its priceless and the reflections in the water must be like a dream!
