Fountain from the apodyterium in the Palace of Dar al-Arusa
The Dar al-Arusa Palace crowns the hill above the Generalife known as the Cerro del Sol or Sun Hill.
The Palace of Dar al-Arusa, which means "the House of the Bride or Wife", was found by chance during reforestation work ordered by the Alhambra’s head conservator Torres Balbás in 1933.
We have no exact chronology for Dar al-Arusa, although Torres Balbás situates it in the first half of the 14th century because he found similarities between this period and the roof lantern over the bath.
The Palace was made up of three courtyards of different sizes and a bath in the south-east corner. The bath is the best conserved side as regards archaeological remains and this is where our “Piece of the month”, the fountain from the bath of Dar al-Arusa Palace, was found.
This fountain was in the centre of the bayt al-maslaj, the rest room or dressing room. Bermúdez Pareja classified it as a "simplified fountain" that was circular in shape and made out of undecorated white marble. It was inset into a square floor divided into four panels with glazed ceramic decoration.
This piece was located around 1934 and remained in situ for the following 11 years until finally for conservation reasons it was moved to the Museum of the Alhambra in October 1944.
Time: Saturdays at 12:00 h
Place: Room V, Museum of the Alhambra, Palace of Charles V