An Arabic palace from the 14th century, the Royal Alcazar was originally a Moorish fortress. Nowadays the Alcazar is residence of the Spanish kings.
It is a treasure of Moorish style with opulent tile on the walls and ceilings of the main rooms. The dome, with interlaced tracery designs, is also gilded. The frieze below depicts alternating castles and lions. Below that is a border of decorative Kufic inscriptions and 32 female busts. Below that Gothic niches contain portraits of Spanish kings.
This is the main room of a complex of rooms used for public events and affairs of state. (For example, it was the setting for the marriage in 1526 of Charles V and Isabel of Portugal.)
The Sala Grande - on the upper level is room with enormous and beautiful tapestries of the Conquest of Tunis by Carlos V. They were painted by Juan de Vermayen and woven by Guillermo Pannemaker (1535-1554)".
Beneath the main rooms is a pool supposedly build for a favorite concubine of the Sultan.
JardÃn del Estanque -This garden was named after the large water reservoir which formed the basis for the pool, a cistern which once collected water for the palace and for irrigation.
The Gardens of the Alcazar are beautiful even in the off season.
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