Hidden in Plain Sight, The Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Story and photographs by Lena S. Keslin

April 22, 2025

There are times in our lives when an opportunity appears. We were invited to visit Spain on a Jewish Tour with Rabbi Howard Berman, a dear, lifelong friend, and some of his Boston congregation. I was excited because this trip would be a special opportunity to see the remnants of the Jewish life that had thrived in Spain for 1,500 years and then ended with the expulsion in 1492. Spain is a beautiful country, but the Jewish history was painful to learn about. The Alhambra in Granada is a place that still continues to haunt me. 

      The Alhambra Palace or Red Fortress as it is also known, is nestled on a hill in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. There are magnificent gardens and fountains and spectacular examples of Moorish architecture. The palace was originally built in 1238, over the ruins of an 11^th century palace that had been the home of the Vizier, Samuel Ibn Nagrillah, the most important and influential Jew in Islamic Spain.

Of particular importance is the Fountain of the Lions, which the 11^th century Jewish poet and philosopher, Solomon Ibn Gabirol wrote about. The beautiful fountain of the lions had graced the garden of the Vizier’s palatial home. The fountain is still the centerpiece of the Alhambra. It has twelve sculpted white marble lions that are reportedly 300 years older than the Alhambra itself. Some Jewish historians think that the lions represent the twelve tribes of Israel and two of the lions have a triangle on their forehead that may represent the priestly tribes.

The lions are a scientific marvel ingeniously harnessing the water from the fountain to sequentially spout out of each lion’s mouth every hour so that by noon each lion would be spouting water at the same time. The Fountain of the Lions is the only relic that I found dating back to the time of the Vizier.

       Walking through the Alhambra gave me the feeling of being a time traveler. The first rooms were simple, but decorated with Moorish designs. I followed along the narrow hallways and corridors marveling at the strikingly contemporary graphic black and white designs from the mid 13th century. I was shocked by the contrast of the various rooms, some were rather monastic and in others I could imagine their former opulence.

Everywhere were the remnants of the beautiful Islamic Moorish artistry; the high arched and decorated ceilings and fountains with their bubbling water.

      Suddenly, there was a deafening silence as I entered the Hall of the Ambassadors. The large room was impressive but all that I could think about was that this was the place where Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand issued their devastating Alhambra Decree on March 31^st 1492.  Nothing eased my discomfort, not even the immense wooden ceiling decorated with stars to represent the universe or the  walls decorated with tiles set into geometric patterns, or stucco inscribed with poems and inscriptions from the Quran. It was uncomfortable, as if a part of me had been there before.

        The Hall of the Ambassadors is the same room where Christopher Columbus received the support and funding for his first voyage of discovery. The deadline for Jews to leave Spain was August 2^nd and the following day Columbus set sail. The expulsion date also corresponds with the 9^th of Av, which commemorates the destruction of both the first and second temples in Jerusalem. This date was not a coincidence and further added to the cruelty of the expulsion. There is a certain irony in that what began as the home of a highly ranked Jewish vizier, was later the same place where the expulsion of the Jews was carried out almost 500 years later.

I dedicate this article to the memory of Rabbi Howard Berman, who died unexpectedly at the end of October 2024. I had been fortunate to know Howard and his twin brother all of my life. We were connected throughout the years by the mutual love of our parents and our families. When Howard and I were quite young he shared his already burgeoning interest in religion with me, and especially his thoughts about reincarnation.  May his memory live on in the hearts of all who knew him and loved him. 

Lena S. Keslin is an artist and writer in Santa Fe.
Photos © 2025 Lena S. Keslin. All rights reserved.
Photos may not be copied or reproduced independently.