Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/547

Rh Bk. I. Ch. III. SPAIN. 531 more than probable it was thus terminated originally. It is difficialt nevertheless to reconcile oneself to the idea that the upper part was not something more beautiful and more in accordance with the base. In the East the Mahomedan architects would certainly have done something better ; but here, from the Avant of familiarity with tower-architecture, and from the want of any circular or domical forms for the terniination of towers or sky-lines, this inartistic form may have been adopted. The lower part is certainly much more beautiful; the walls are relieved with panels to just such an extent as is required for ornament without interfering Avith the construction or apparent solidity of the tower, while the windows are grace- ful and appropriate, and in such number as seems required. In this respect it con- trasts pleasingly with the contemporary cam- panile at Venice, which, though very nearly of the same dimensions, is lean and bald compared with this tower at Seville. So, indeed, are most of the Italian towers of the same age. All these towers seem to have been erected for very analogous pur- poses, for the Giralda can never have been meant as the minaret of a mosque, to be used for the call to jjrayer ; nor can we admit the destination sometimes ascribed to it by those who surmise that it may have been merely meant for an observatory. Most probably it was a pillar of victory, or a tower symbolical of dominion and power, like many others we have had occasion to allude to in the previous pages of this work. Indeed, the tradition is that it was built by King Yousouf to celebrate his famous victory of Alarcos, gained in the year 1159, in which year its construction was com- menced. As such it is superior to most of those erected in Europe in the Middle Ages, but far inferior, except in size, to the Kootub Minar, and many others still found in various parts of Asia. The Alcazar at Seville. The Alcazar ^ at Seville, was an older palace, and perhaps also at one time a more magnificent one than the Alhambra itself. Hence it 975. Giralda, Seville. (From a Drawing by Girault de Praugey.) Alcazar = el-Kasr, " the Castle."