Les secrets de l'Alhambra nasride

A jewel of Islamic art, the only Muslim palatial complex preserved in the West, the Alhambra is one of the most visited monuments in the world. It is the Alhambra as built by the Nasrid sultans – very different from the current fortress – that the exhibition highlights, unveiling and deciphering some of its secrets at the height of its splendour, under the reign of Sultan Muhammad V in the 14th century, through a fascinating immersive journey punctuated by marvellous works of art.

Evoking the genius of the Lions' Fountain, the poetry of water, the geometric complexities of the decor, the refinement of the epigraphy that gives voice to the palace, the splendour of the sultanic festivities, the sensuality of the gardens, the cultural exchanges despite constant military tensions…: this exhibition tells the story of the Nasrid Alhambra, illuminating its splendour and revealing some of its mysteries.

A walking tour through the future exhibition.

The beauty of the Alhambra might make one forget that it is, first and foremost, a fortress, encircled by walls and towers and home to a garrison, and that the Nasrid emirate is in reality a state on borrowed time, threatened and relentlessly eroded by neighbouring states.

Alongside a selection of weapons and pieces of armour and harness, the immersion will allow visitors to discover a hidden and little-known masterpiece of Arab painting, showing the return of a victorious military expedition.

The Lions' Fountain, which gave its current name to the palace that houses it, the most iconic piece of the Alhambra and a masterpiece of Nasrid art, was remodelled over the centuries following the Christian conquest.

What did it look like during the reign of Muhammad V, who had it installed? Around a copy of the fountain, visitors will discover different scientific hypotheses about the meaning, form, and functioning of the fountain.

A major piece of the exhibition, this will also be an opportunity to address the importance of water for the entire palatial complex, both aesthetically and for its essential role in the very life of the site.