塞维利亚王宫少女庭院，西班牙 Courtyard of the Maidens, Alcázar of Seville, Spain (© Danny Lehman/Getty Images)
辉煌的塞维利亚 The splendor of Seville
塞维利亚皇家阿尔卡萨尔王宫，西班牙
今天，我们将走进历史悠久的西班牙伊斯兰帝国的中心。塞维利亚皇家阿尔卡萨城堡位于安达卢西亚南部地区，矗立在10世纪的城堡遗址上，在随后的200年间不断扩建。当基督教军队在1248年占领这座城市时，阿尔卡萨尔几乎完全按照穆德哈尔风格重建，这种风格从伊斯兰建筑的复杂装饰图案汲取了灵感。阿尔卡扎尔宫内有几个庭院，庭院两边都有雕刻精美的圆柱。其中之一就是今天要介绍的少女庭院。
这个美丽的庭院的中心是一个游泳池，静静的池水不仅倒映着安达卢西亚的湛蓝天空，还倒映着庭院拱门上错综复杂的纹饰。仔细观察这些拱门，你会看到雕刻的法蒂玛之手——一种据说能带来保护的象征，由植物和阿拉伯文字组成。柱子后面的墙壁上装饰着五颜六色的陶瓷片，上面有几何图案。这些瓷砖被称为“azulejos”（意思是“光滑的小石头”），是安达卢西亚装饰的标志。外面有一个大花园，花园里有喷泉和绿树成荫的小径，是在西班牙烈日下乘凉的绝佳地点。
Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
Today we're stepping into the heart of the historic empire of Islamic Spain. The Royal Alcázar of Seville, in the southern region of Andalusia, stands on the site of a 10th-century citadel, which was expanded over the following 200 years. When Christian forces captured the city in 1248, this historic palace was almost totally rebuilt in the Mudejar style, which takes inspiration from the intricate patterns and decorative motifs found in Islamic architecture. Within the Alcázar, there are several courtyards lined with delicately carved columns. One of these is the Patio de las Doncellas, or Courtyard of the Maidens, pictured here today.
In the center of this beautiful space is a pool, whose still waters provide reflections of not only the blue Andalucian sky above, but of the intricate latticework of the courtyard's arches. Look a little closer at these arches, and you'll see carved shells, Hands of Fatima—a symbol said to bring protection—plants, and Arabic script. Behind the columns, the walls are decorated with colorful ceramic tiles decorated with geometric patterns. These tiles, known as azulejos, are a hallmark of Andalusian decoration. Outside, there is a large garden full of fountains and tree-lined paths—a perfect spot to cool off from the hot Spanish sun.
