I JUST read in today's El País that the marble lions surrounding the fountain in the emblematic "Patio of the Lions" will be removed at the end of the summer for emergency restoration while the fountain itself will be restored onsite. They expect the restoration to take at least 2 years.

After 20 years of observation it has been deduced that acid rain as well as sudden temperature changes are to blame for the deterioration.

The fountain was built during the reign of Mohammed V in the 14th century. The Alhambra receives up to 3 million visitors per year.

Now I feel fortunate to have seen them this past October because we won't see them again for awhile. How sad. The Alhambra will still be a MUST-SEE in Granada but "The Patio of the Lions" was definitely a HI-POINT of the site.

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan

I also feel very lucky to have seen/photograph them last year.

While people might think it just the lions that impacted by this restoration, to me it also impacts the entire courtyard were the lions are located.

If you walk around the entire courtyard, you will notice it was made for the lions and fountain.

Also my HI-POINT was visiting the Alhambra at night and having the palace all to myself!

Bill

Like you, Bill from NYC, I was also VERY happy to visit the Alhambra by night. There were so few tourists and some of the nighttime photos were so eery - including the Patio of the Lions.

Now, as you say, the patio/courtyarnd itself will not be a very pleasant place, I'd imagine, if they're going to be restoring the FOUNTAIN right there onsite so they'll have workers, no doubt some sort of construction shroud, materials, etcetera.

And to think it was only a FEW years ago when you could walk THROUGH this patio and actually TOUCH these lions and the fountain. What year did they close the patio to pedestrians?? It must have been in the last, what, 10-15 years, right? Anyone have the experience of ENTERING The Patio of the Lions? I'd like to hear about that.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hi all,
As far as entering the patio, I was living in Granada as a student in 1995 and I think I remember that you could walk around in there. But now im not sure! It was also before you had to reserve your tickets ahead of time. And on Sundays after 3pm it was free to get in. At that time there was always water running through the fountain (even though there was a drought) but the last few times I went (after 2001) there was no water running.

Hi, do you know when the end of summer is... we are booked to visit the Alhambra on the 8th September and will disappointed to miss out!

Sarz, I only know it'll happen sometime in September. Probably the earlier you get there the better to improve your chances of seeing them. Will you please return to this thread later to tell us its status? Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

Just returned to NZ from our trip to Spain and thought would update you on the status of the Alhambra Fountain of the Lions - the lions and the fountain are still onsite and no sign yet of any work occuring. The fountain itself was not going - but then I am not sure if it is usually. There was no info on any planned restoration anyhwere on the site (not that I could read anyway!) Still was a fabulous place and there is so much to see that even if this work had of started it wouldn't have detracted from the Palace as a whole.

So are they gone yet? The summer has long passed - the time they said they would remove the lions. I'll be going back a few times during my visit to Granada but luckily I took MANY photo of the patio last year. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing the Alhambra once again.

Saludos, MadridMan

How 'bout THIS from your on-the-spot reporter. The Lions are still there! I saw them all just today, just as they always are but there was a "cleaner" who looked to be more shining their shoes than anything else. hehehe.. So never fear, visitors to the Alhambra. The Patio de los Leones is still the home of the lions. When I get back to Madrid in a couple days I'll post the photo.

Saludos, MadridMan

JUST minutes I saw on TVE's "España Directo" a feature about the "Patio de los Leones". They showed that ONE of the lions has already been removed for restauration and the rest will follow one-by-one for a 2-year vacation from the "Patio de los Leones".

Hope many of you made it there before today! I was there last November as you know from my above postings so I feel fortunate to have seen them again for the 2nd time in my life.

Saludos, MadridMan