CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
Recibido: octubre 2021 | Revisado: noviembre 2021 | Aceptado: noviembre 2021 | Publicado: diciembre 2021
ISSN: 0590 - 1987 I eISSN: 2695-379X I Depósito legal: GR 70-1965
COMPLETE RESTORATION OF
THE ROOFS OF THE HALL OF
THE KINGS
RESTAURACIÓN INTEGRAL DE LAS CUBIERTAS DE LA
SALA DE LOS REYES
PEDRO SALMERÓN ESCOBAR
PHD IN ARCHITECTURE. CONSERVATOR OF THE CATHEDRALS OF GRANADA AND JAÉN
estudiopedrosalmeron2@gmail.com
ABSTRACT A detailed journey is articulated through a wide-ranging intervention and complexity that
comprises the entire Hall of the Kings, both the main hall and the bedrooms with paintings. The functio-
nal sense of the environment is created by its founder Muhammad V as an essential part of the Court of
the Lions is analysed, as well as its space and constructive-structural organization, especially detailing
the relationship of the covers with the mocárabe domes and the wooden vaults coated with leather
and nished with several layers of plaster that are of assistance to prepare paintings of a great artistic
and symbolic value, preserved in critical condition at the end of the nineties of the last century. The
intervention carried out over several years is described, including the analysis phase and the response
to the serious conservation problems, mainly accumulated since the transformation of the roof covers
layout executed by Rafael Contreras in 1855-1857. The measures adopted in an advanced conservation
context are also developed: roof covers layout improvement, restoration of structural functions, seismic
instability prevention, microclimate control and accessibility for the maintenance both exterior and inte-
rior roof covers.
KEY WORDS Hall of the Kings, roof covers, armour, wooden vaults, mocárabe, consolidation, recovery,
maintenance, microclimate control.
RESUMEN Se plantea un recorrido minucioso a través de una intervención de gran amplitud y comple-
jidad que abarca la Sala de los Reyes completa, tanto la sala principal como las alcobas con pinturas. Se
analiza el sentido funcional del ambiente creado por su fundador Muhammad V como una parte esencial
del Palacio de los Leones, así como su organización espacial y constructivo - estructural, detallando
especialmente la relación de las cubiertas con las cúpulas de mocárabes y las bóvedas de madera
revestidas de piel y terminadas con varias capas de yeso que sirven de preparación a unas pinturas
de gran valor artístico y simbólico, conservadas en estado crítico a nales de la década de los noventa
del siglo pasado. Se describe la intervención realizada a lo largo de varios años, incluyendo la fase de
análisis y la respuesta a los graves problemas de conservación, acumulados fundamentalmente desde
la transformación del trazado de cubiertas que lleva a cabo Rafael Contreras en 1855-1857. También se
desarrollan las medidas adoptadas en un contexto avanzado de conservación: mejora del trazado de
cubiertas, restablecimiento de las funciones estructurales, prevención del riesgo sísmico, control micro
climático y accesibilidad para mantenimiento tanto en el exterior como en el interior de las cubiertas.
PALABRAS CLAVE Sala de los Reyes, cubiertas, armaduras, bóvedas de madera, mocárabes, consoli-
dación, recuperación, mantenimiento, control micro climático.
CÓMO CITAR/HOW TO CITE SALMERÓN ESCOBAR,P., Restauración integral de las cubiertas de la
Sala de los Reyes, Cuadernos de la Alhambra, 2021,50, pp. EISSN 2695-379X
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
322
PEDRO SALMERÓN ESCOBAR
Il. 1. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, Diego Garzón Osuna, 2014, plan. Site of the Hall of the Kings in the Nasrid Palaces of
the Alhambra. Re-drawn from the planimetric base of the PAG.
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
323
COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE ROOFS OF THE HALL OF THE KINGS
1. MERNISI F. Sueños en el umbral. Memorias de una niña del Harén.
Ediciones B, S.A. Barcelona, 2013. This novel and sensitively written work
provides a closer insight into the ways in which the spaces of a harem
are used.
2. BERMÚDEZ PAREJA J. Pinturas sobre piel en la Alhambra de Granada.
Alhambra and Generalife Board of Trustees. Granada, 1987.
The Palace of the Lions [Palacio de los Leones] has a
-
llows the rhythm of relationships that make complete sense
draws the most attention and acts as an organiser of activities,
receiving everyone’s gaze: this palace is one of the most closed
-
the Palace of the Lions is linked to the Palace of Comares [Pa-
was connected to Calle Real Baja, an access point for internal
Rauda-
bra. It is also no coincidence that, on this side, with the Hall of
is to the north and ends with the Lindaraja Viewpoint, also
-
-
ly rich point of connection with the Royal Baths and Comares
-
ring the Islamic period, which were anchored in an extremely
-
muqarnas domes make it possible
-
-
same time open with large arches leading to the main hall. It is
this leap in scale and a clear search for privacy in rooms with
1
, that makes it seem the ideal place
-
APPROACH TO THE RESTORATION. STARTING POINTS
One of the most interesting aspects of the restoration work is
to learning the reasons behind this choice. From a technical
-
-
-
accelerated and extensive deterioration, its relationship with
changes to the roofs and the impact on the delicate materials
painting on leather -
múdez Pareja’s work
2
-
the link between the accelerated deterioration and the change
made by Rafael Contreras in 1857 when the single roof, which
-
degradation; analysing and diagnosing this degradation has
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
324
PEDRO SALMERÓN ESCOBAR
3. MERNISI F. El harén en occidente. Barcelona, 2006. p. 153.
4. BOLOIX GALLARDO, B. Las Sultanas de la Alhambra. Las grandes
desconocidas del Reino Nazarí de Granada (siglos XIII-XV). Alhambra and
Generalife Board of Trustees. Editorial Comares. Granada, 2013, p. 214-215.
Bermúdez Pareja also bases his assessment on the way the
helping the layers of plaster covering the skin to stick better.
and the progressive disintegration of the paint layer into sma-
ll fragments or particles, which easily became detached, set
-
examples and knowledge of the wood – leather – plaster –
paint relationship is also acknowledged, and he highlights the
-
-
-
wood from being directly impacted by the wood’s movements.
of imported paintings, the choice of motifs with scenes from
certain principles displayed by the Palace of the Lions, with
by muqarnas
planning of the Majlis referred to above.
Fatema Mernisi states that majliss comes from the verb
it down with the intention of
relaxing and doing nothing for a while, for mere enjoyment
3
-
lace of the Lions.
From this point of view and from the way the palace is
organised, it is possible to appreciate the idea of living in a
-
of the Lions as a whole played a leading role in private life.
-
levant
4
: in the Palace of the Lions there are today places and corners
whose names are a true evocation of the female presence of another
time
the Moorish
King used to lie down to keep cooler and that he had his bed at one
end of the Hall and the Queen’s bed at the other
-
THE ROOF MODEL: SINGLE OR SEGMENTED
today be compared with the roof of the opposite wing to the
-
-
give an idea of scale:
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
325
COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE ROOFS OF THE HALL OF THE KINGS
Il. 2. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, Diego Garzón Osuna, Alejandro de la Torre Reyes, 2021, plan.
Descriptive plan of the Hall of the Kings with nomenclature of the ceilings of the rooms, dimensions
and surfaces.
muqarnas
muqarnas
-
muqarnas domes
in the rooms while sparing no expense on the richness of their
envelopes, an aspect that characterises Nasrid Palaces in general
and fragile spaces. Water was drained towards the perimeter
-
muqarnas
which play a important role in how the spaces are perceived,
-
-
-
of the Nasrid Palaces also reached here in a forced manner;
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
326
PEDRO SALMERÓN ESCOBAR
Il. 3 Swinburne, H., engraving. Printed by P. Elmsly, London, 1779. Library
PAG / A-0546. This image shows a view of the Hall of the Kings with a single
roof. The openings in the areas with muquarnas vaults are visible.
Il. 4. Pedrosa i Vacarissas, Joaquín, 1857, photograph. Courtyard of the
Lions. APAG / Photography Collection / F-005689. The Hall of the Kings still
has its single roof and the latticed openings in the areas with muqarnas
vaulting can be seen.
Il. 5. Soulier, 1857, photograph. Courtyard of the Lions. Carlos Sánchez
GómezCollection. The beginning of Rafael Contreras’ restoration work can be
seen in the background of the photograph. Once the roof was removed, the
back of muqarnas vault M6 of the Hall of the Kings emerged.
5. BERMÚDEZ PAREJA J. Ob. cit., p. 64
area and an interesting drawing by Richard Ford that shows
an open gallery on this side facing the Partal
5
. Forced passage
-
mations and there were probably some leaks, which was com-
-
-
muqarnas
Problems began to be recorded early on, before the end of
-
-
-
slowly, to the comprehensive restoration described in this article.
6. PERALES SORIANO G. Document 15/06/1976. Ministry of Education and
Science. Directorate General for Artistic and Cultural Heritage. Institute for
the Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art.
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
327
COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE ROOFS OF THE HALL OF THE KINGS
Il. 6. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, 2012, plan. Perspective diagram of Rafael
Contreras’ solution for the roofs of the Hall of the Kings in 1857, dividing
the single roof into 11 independent pavilions.
Il.7. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, 2012, plan. Perspective diagram of the
solution of the restoration project to recover the paintings in the Hall of
the Kings, unifying the ceiling of the surrounding areas with a U-shaped
enveloping roof.
Il. 8. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, 2007, photography. View of the back of
muqarnas vault M2. Restoration work protected by the cover placed over
the entire area of the Hall of the Kings.
7. This extensive restoration work is outlined in Pedro Salmerón’s project
“Restauración de las pinturas sobre piel de la Sala de los Reyes del Palacio
de los Leones” (2005).
8. In 2007, architect Pedro Salmerón was responsible for drafting the Emergency
Restoration project for the muqarnas domes and managing the corresponding
work. Work was supervised by the Conservation and Protection Service of the
Board of Trustees of the Alhambra and Generalife, with direct assistance from
restorer Ramón Rubio Domene, the author of another article in this issue of
Cuadernos de la Alhambra. For this reason, detailed aspects concerning the
restoration of the muqarnas domes are not included here, and instead this article
focuses on construction and structural aspects of the restoration.
9. Architect Pedro Salmerón was responsible for the project (2008) and
project management (2008-2009) of this restoration work. Restorers
Benjamín Domínguez Gómez and Juan Carlos Bermejo Cejudo were the
main collaborators on the project and were in charge of performing the work.
This work is described by Benjamín Domínguez Gómez in another article in
this issue of Cuadernos de la Alhambra.
10. SALMERÓN ESCOBAR, P. Informe previo. Intervención de emergencia
en las cúpulas de mocárabes en el Palacio de los Leones en la Alhambra.
Granada, febrero 2007.
7
muqarnas domes in the
8
-
the Palace of the Lions
and work on the wooden roofs and reverse sides of the painted
restoring the visible elements of great aesthetic and historical
muqarnas
EMERGENCY WORK IN THE MUQARNAS DOMES.
the roofs of the alcove area, deterioration in the others was
-
vation problems were noted in the main pavilions of the Hall
muqarnas-
cracks in the muqarnas
-
-
-
muqarnas
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
328
PEDRO SALMERÓN ESCOBAR
Il. 11. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, 2007, photography. Cracks in the
muqarnas vaults and a spreading perforation towards the interior due
to the fasteners installed in 1857 (marked with a yellow circle).
Il. 9. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, 2007, photography. General view of
muqarnas vault M2 with the shoring lines (blue) at the beginning of the
emergency intervention.
Il. 10. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, 2007, photography. Cracking typical to the
accumulated deterioration of the muqarnas vaults.
-
mediate action. Work was possible thanks to a covering that
was installed over the entire area and that proved to be very
-
muqarnas-
muqarnas
polystyrene wedges of varying thicknesses were inserted. Once
here; the article will highlight the most important processes
muqarnas
the roof boarding had been removed, a analysis was performed
reached the interior level of the domes, which was detected in
muqarnas
-
-
-
CUADERNOS DE LA ALHAMBRA I núm. 50 I 2021 I págs. 321-340
329
COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE ROOFS OF THE HALL OF THE KINGS
11. The topographical survey of the back of the muqarnas vaults and masonry
spaces in the different areas was carried out in 2007 by surveyor Dámaso
Chávez González.
Il. 12. Pedro Salmerón Escobar, Dámaso Chávez González, 2007, plan.
Plan of the back of muqarnas vault M2 with the topography and the
position of the fastenings of 1857 in black elm wood (show in green) and
purple willow (show in orange).
11
muqarnas-
-
-
-
ded in the existing bore with the help of tow and plaster to crea-
te a bridge that is compatible with the medieval plasterwork.
In terms of the framework, the brackets and angle braces
-
-
tored to good working condition, maintaining the materials
-
-
-
sed, and large-section wooden pieces originally located at di-
-
mu-
qarnas domes based on their own weight, and synthetic graphs
muqarnas dome towards the roof or when deforma-
tions in the roof act on the muqarnas
-
blocks were made and drilled with a 3 cm diameter hole, whe-
with plaster and tow. Once the plaster had set and dried, the
-
placed on the framework consisting of: 3 cm thick red pine
thermal oscillation, waterproof chipboard, a galvanised steel