Patio of the Dolls
Patio of the maidens
Delicately carved plasterwork covers many of the architectural elements of the Real Alcázar of Seville (Reales Alcázares de Sevilla). The core of the Alcázar palace was built in the 1340s for the Christian king Peter of Castile and expanded by subsequent monarchies. A preeminent example of Mudéjar architecture, sections of the palace were built by Moorish (Mudéjar) craftsmen who remained on the Iberian Peninsula after the Christian Reconquest. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. In 1987, it was registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The three photos highlight the plasterwork decorative motifs in the Patio of the Dolls and the Patio of the Maidens. For information on Nasrid plasterwork, read Nasrid plasterwork: symbolism, materials & techniques.
From Wikipedia: “In architecture Mudéjar style does not refer to a distinct architectural style but to the application of traditional Islamic ornamental and decorative elements to Christian Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles, mostly taking place in Spain in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, although it continued to appear in Spanish architecture well after this period. It also appeared in the architecture of other countries and regions, most notably Portugal, and later in the Spanish colonies in the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries.”
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