Maidens Courtyard

This courtyard was the center of the public area of King Peter I Palace. It is surrounded by poly lobed arches, one of the most characteristic decorative motifs of the Almohad dynasty, along with the sebka style. The shell (symbol of fertility and life), the Hand of Fatima, (synonymous of protection), geometric compositions, schematic plant decoration and Kußc Arabic epigraphy complete the decorative language of this courtyard. The gallery surrounding the main courtyard is composed by epigraphic decoration made of plaster, in contrast to the Christian tradition heraldic motifs. The bottom of the walls are decorated with ceramics, following the “alicatado” technique. The central part of the Maidens Courtyard was covered with marble slabs, with a Renaissance fountain during almost 500 years. After the archaeological excavations of 2005, it was restored as established in the fourteenth century.