Perfectly designed to impress!
The Palacio de Comares was the first to be built in the city of the Alhambra, it is also the first to start the visit of the Palatino (Royal residence) Nasrid city.
The Palace is a statement of intent and when you go in each room, you realize that everything was designed to impress, intimidate, to state "without words" that we are facing a superior power.
We are in the old royal residence. Open to the public, it is reached through the large Patio de los Arrayanes (Myrtle Court). When you enter this patio, you get this feeling that an invisible hand is preparing you for something breath-taking, I cannot help thinking of the impression all these theatrics must have left the ambassadors, viziers or plain visitors to the Sultan. Now I let myself go and enjoy its awesome beauty.
The entire Palacio de Comares is made up of: The Mexuar y Oratorio, the Patio de los Arrayanes, El cuarto y patio dorados (The golden room and patio), La Sala de la Barca and the spectacular Sala de los Embajadores (Ambassadors' Hall), better known as the Torre de Comares.
The water, the fountains, the play of light from the colourful stained glass windows or cumarias (where the name Comares comes from), the smell of the hedges, absolutely everything is perfectly designed to impress. Understanding the design is simpler when we realise that the complex was built in the moment in which the Muslim power was reduced to small territories in Al-Andalus and king Yusuf needed to build a place to defend himself and declare his power at the same time.
I recommend not rushing you visit, do not miss any detail of this palace, if you go in and out too quickly you won’t give yourself enough time to enjoy and appreciate the entire beauty of it. Be impressed by the wonderful and dazzling lighting produced by the stained glass windows, and enjoy Muslim art in its purest form, as this palace is where you’ll find a unique representation of what’s known as Nasrid art, without Christian influences.
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