The alcázar was amazing. Larger than the one in Segovia and more ornate, with lots more rooms. The outside wall doesn’t look like much. The pretty stuff is inside.
And peacocks! There were peacocks in one of the courtyards and the staff were trying to herd them out of there. At one point a peacock took off flying. We were glad it didn’t fly at us.
To think that the elaborate ceilings were actually the second ceilings in those rooms. When they added a second floor they took the ceilings from downstairs and put them upstairs and put new ceilings downstairs. We didn’t get to see the royal rooms on the upstairs because they’ve stopped doing tours of those as of the beginning of this month.
Many of the rooms are arranged around the central courtyard. Rooms also open into other rooms.
The layers, variety, and complexity of detail throughout are dizzying. Even things that look like decoration (to those of us who don’t read or recognize Arabic) may be inscriptions.
Doors and windows also got attention. The alcázar gardens are beautiful too.
