As on other occasions, we rescued a legend of the Alhambra in Granada to encourage you in your visits around the city. In this case, the Palace of the Lions, is the most known and admired of the enclosure of nazari for his great wealth decorative.
This legend revolves around the Princess Zaira, who arrived from Africa with her cruel father. The young girl was sensitive and beautiful. Both were housed in the premises of the Alhambra during their trip. Zaira was impressed and everything seemed to be like something out of a dream; quite the contrary felt her father. Isolated from the rest of the humanity, only Zaira had as companions to their talisman and one entourage of 11 men who guarded the King. The Princess spent hours in a large central courtyard when, one day, Arthur, a young man who had seen her from the walls and had not been able to contain her eagerness to know that she arrived. Nervously, Zaira, recommended the young man to leave, or he will be put by her father to death. In one of their encounters, the King surprised Arthur and locked him in a Dungeon.
The legend says, that one day, the young discovered the diary of her father. Hesitantly, she read it and found a part that caught her attention: “I’ve already killed the King and the Queen. Princess Zaira I have pitied. Thanks to my 11 men, I managed to take the throne. Now she will believe that I am her father, I hope that the Princess will never be aware of the lucky charm¨. Those words were written when she was 1 year old.
In a rush, Zaira met her father and his men in the central courtyard. With tears, she asked the King if all that was true and he responded that it was. At that moment, Zaira recalled a picture in which her mother missed a spell talisman: when the young woman knew the truth, a great tragedy would be fallen on the King and his men. At that time, the talisman was activated and the Princess felt the rage of a lion. The King and his 11 entourages were metamorphosed into 12 stone lions, just those which today crowned the fountain of the Palace of the Lions. Zaira rescued Arthur and lived happy for ever.
If you want to learn languages and spend an unforgettable summer, note this legend about the famous Patio de los Leones. It will be helpful in your next visit to the “Red Castle”.