Court of the Lions Square

Address: Palacio de la Alhambra, Calle Real de la Alhambra, 18009 Granada, Spain (Court of the Lions is within the Nasrid Palaces)

Website: https://www.alhambra-patronato.es/

Hours: Alhambra complex: Daily 8:30am-8pm (seasonal variations); Nasrid Palaces have timed entry slots-check official site for current schedule

Admission: Entry to the Alhambra complex (includes Nasrid Palaces ticket): €15-€18 for main daytime access; Nasrid Palaces require a timed ticket included in main admission (prices vary).

The Court of the Lions is the central courtyard of the Nasrid Palaces within the Alhambra complex in Granada, Andalusia, and is a principal example of late medieval Islamic architecture in Spain. It dates to the mid 14th century and is most closely associated with the reign of Sultan Muhammad V.

The courtyard is framed by four porticoes and a colonnade of slender marble columns around a central fountain supported by twelve carved lions. Its water channels, intricate stucco decoration and slender arcade proportions are major reasons visitors come, making it one of the Alhambra’s best known spaces.

Construction and ornamentation are attributed to Nasrid-period craftsmen under Muhammad V; the space served as the private heart of the palace complex for the royal family and court. Over centuries it has undergone restoration to preserve delicate plasterwork and stone elements.

The Court of the Lions sits within the Alhambra on the Sabika hill overlooking Granada. It is accessed via the broader palace circuit of the Alhambra and is reached on foot from the main Alhambra entrance areas.

• Booking: Advance tickets for the Alhambra complex are usually required and access into the Nasrid Palaces is timed and limited.
• Dimensions: The courtyard is an 11 by 11 metre square with slender columns and four porticoes surrounding the central fountain.

What to See#

• Lion Fountain: The central marble fountain supported by twelve sculpted lions, dating to the Nasrid period, which sits at the courtyard’s centre and distributes water through a system of channels.

The Court of the Lions is inside the Alhambra complex on the Sabika hill in Granada’s historic center. From Granada city center (Plaza Nueva), it is a 15-25 minute walk uphill or a short taxi ride. The complex is also served by local buses (C3 from the city center) and the Alhambra has several pedestrian entrances; follow signage to the Nasrid Palaces once inside.

Arrive at the Alhambra with a timed Nasrid Palaces ticket - entry to the Court of the Lions is only permitted during the palace’s allocated time slot; buy tickets in advance on the Alhambra Patronato website.

• Book Nasrid Palaces tickets well in advance; the Court of the Lions is inside the Nasrid Palaces and only accessible with a timed entry slot.
• Visit late afternoon during golden hour when the light through the arcades softens the stone and the fountain's pool reflects the carved arches.
• Listen to the drip of the central fountain and look for the discreet channels: the palace's hydraulic system was an engineering feat in a semi-arid climate and remains visible in the courtyard's waterwork.