Mexuar room

The Mexuar is the western entrance area of the Nasrid Palaces complex in the Alhambra in Granada. Historically, it served as the public sector and administrative center of the emirate. The name derives from the Arabic word for adviser or council chamber and reflects its function as the place where the sultan received petitions from the people. The area is divided into two successive courtyards, the Council Chamber, and the so-called Golden Room with its own forecourt, all aligned along a west-east axis. The first courtyard, now visible only as foundations, once housed the chancery and a small mosque. The second courtyard, the Patio de Machuca, was surrounded by arcades, of which only the north side survives. At its center stood an elaborate fountain fed by golden lion statues.

Beyond the second courtyard lies the Council Chamber, which served as a throne room for public audiences. Its architecture is marked by four central columns that originally supported a dome, beneath which the sultan sat enthroned. After the Christian monarchs conquered Granada in 1492, the room was converted into a chapel, the dome was removed, and an upper floor was added. Modern restorations have removed many of these Christian additions to reveal the original character of the room, with its carved stucco and colorful marble column capitals. In the northern annex, you can still see mosaic tiles bearing the Nasrid motto and later Christian coats of arms.

East of the Council Chamber is the courtyard of the Golden Room, which served as a waiting area for visitors to the Comares Palace. This small but finely designed courtyard has a north arcade with slender marble columns and a central fountain. Behind it lies the Golden Room itself, whose wooden ceiling was decorated in the 16th century with golden ornaments and the coats of arms of the Catholic Monarchs. The southern edge of the courtyard is formed by the magnificent Comares Façade, one of the richest stucco walls in the Alhambra. Covered in Arabic inscriptions and geometric patterns, it served as the ceremonial entrance to the palace proper.