The Famous Lions Return to Granada's Alhambra Palace

The famous marble lions are being returned to the famous Lion Fountain in Granada’s famous Alhambra Palace.

The number 8 (of 12) lion was recently put into place; it took various workers 45 minutes to place it correctly. It may seem like an exaggeration, but the marble statue from Muhammad V’s time in Granada weighs over 300 kilos (660 lbs). The Alhambra Moorish Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the court of the lions is one of its most famous attractions.

The large court of lions, 116 ft (35 m) by 66 ft (20 m) is paved with typical Andalusian colored tiles and white marble. In the center of the court is the famous Fountain of Lions, featuring an alabaster basin supported on the backs of 12 marble lions.  These lions represent strength and courage and were part of the Naghrela Palace.

The famous lions have been being restored, along with the rest of the Alhambra Palace’s Court of Lions. By spring 2012, the restoration project is scheduled to be finished and aims to return the whole area to its original splendor. This difficult work requires investigation to guarantee proper conservation.  The idea is that the 12 lions recover their beauty and purpose in modern times so that water again runs through their mouths, as was originally intended.

More than 200 people have been involved in the restoration project including technicians from Alhambra’s Conservation Team, the Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute and the Andalsusian Historical Heritage Institute.  Additionally, engineers from Seville’s Professional College and from the Department of Computer Languages of the University of Granada have participated.

The 2.1 million euro restoration project is expected to finish in March, and the beautiful Court of Lions will be ready for the millions of visitors and photos it will continue to appear in. 

Soon, those who visit the city of Granada will be able to view the Alhambra Palace in its true splendor!