Patio de los Leones

The Patio de los Leones or The Court of Lions sits in the heart of The Alhambra Palace, Granada. It is one of the most famous palaces in Islamic architecture and is the pinnacle of Nasrid architecture in Al-Andalus. The architecture of the Court presented a significant shift in the design of Nasrid palaces and introduced new styles of ornamentation. It consists of a rectangular courtyard centred on a marble fountain with twelve sculpted lions and it is surrounded by four main halls, along with some upper-floor rooms. The palace was commissioned by Sultan Muhammed V, Emirate of Granada, and construction was carried out between 1362-1391.