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This palace comprised the private chambers of the royal family. The Palace of the Lions comprises a central patio (Patio of the Lions), from the central patio you may access: the Hall of the Mocarabes to the west, the Hall of the Kings to the east, the Hall of the Two Sisters, the Hall of the Ajimeces and Daraxa's Mirador to the north and the Hall of the Abencerrajes and the Harem to the south.
It is the entrance to the palace of the lions and it was so called because of the vault of mocarabes that covered it, but which was pulled down due to the explosion of a powder magazine in 1590.
This patio was built by order of Mohammed V, its ground plan is rectangular and it is surrounded by a gallery in the style of a Christian cloister. The gallery is supported by 124 white marble columns with fine shafts. It is so called because of the twelve lions that throw jets of water and which are part of the fountain in the middle of the patio.
The Hall of the Abencerrajes is located in front of the Hall of the Two Sisters. It is so called because it is said that the Abencerrajes knights were there beheaded.
Harem was the king's home. Currently, only kept the patio of the Harem. You may access the Harem going through a corridor with a mirador to the Patio of the Lions.
This place is called Hall of the Kings because of a painting on the central dome. It was also called Justice Hall and Court (Tribunal) from the 18th century.
The hall of the two sisters was so called because of two big twin marble flagstones that are part of the floor. The hall connects with the Emperor's Chambers and, through a balcony, with the Gardens of the Partal.
The Hall of the Ajimeces is so called because of two twin balconies on its north wall, which overlook the garden. The hall connects with the Hall of the Two Sisters and with Daraxa's Mirador.
From the Hall of the Ajimeces you enter into Daraxa's Mirador. The inside of the mirador is a rectangular little room, with two lateral arches and a double arch at the entrance looking at Daraxa's Patio.
These chambers comprise 6 halls. Two of them are located between the Patio of the Wrought Iron Grille and Daraxa's Garden. The other four halls, located to the north of Daraxa's Garden, are known as Washington Irving chambers, because the American writer lived there in 1829, when he visited Granada. The ceilings and the chimneys were made by Pedro Machuca. The emperor or his family never lived in these chambers.