Spain 7: Water features

Everywhere we went in southern Spain there were traces of the Islamic empire, even though it was driven from the peninsula 500 years ago. One of the first sites we toured was the Alcazar in Seville (first picture below is from there), a visit that set the tone for all subsequent visits to Islamic sites. The very first sign we read described the many fountains and indoor ponds in all caps bold letters as, “the Islamic penchant for water features.” Inevitably the phrase stuck with us as we wandered around the many water features of the palaces and courtyards of Andalucia.

Most of the fountains and falls were very peaceful and made for great camera fodder, especially when they caught the reflections of the beautiful building surrounding them. My favorite fountain was the water stairs at the Generalife in Gernada. The banisters funneled water down and into pools into landings – surrounding you with gently gurgling water.

I might not have spent as much attention to the fountains if it weren’t for the running joke, and in the end I’m glad we were able to have a laugh and pay attention to the water features. They were beautifully incorporated into the architecture and made me think about how to incorporate water into my home someday in the future.