Photo courtesy of Hermès
Garden of Alhambra, Granada Spain
Across the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco to Southern Spain, bordering the Mediterranean sea, on top of the hill Sabika at Granada lived the Moorish. Alhambra, the “Red Fortress'', is one of the oldest and largest surviving Moorish fortresses in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Water was a luxury on the arid hill and a significant theme in Islamic iconography. The intelligent use of water in Alhambra place changed Sabika Hill from dusty red dryland into a lush green oasis. Inside the fortress, a large rectangle pool acts as a giant mirror reflecting the Horseshoe arches surrounding palm trees under the clear blue sky. Annie Faivre, the artist, depicts the water surface with the astonishing Moorish arches reflection in the carré.
Mughal Garden Taj Mahal, Agra India
On the other side of the planet, a raised marble water tank with a reflecting pool in a garden layout, with avenues of trees and lush green lawns, tells a heartwarming love story that happened in the Indian city of Agra. In 1632, Mughul Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned to build of the breathtaking Taj Mahal for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, on the Yamuna River’s southern bank. It also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
Photo courtesy of HeianJingu.com
Japanese Heian Jingu Shrine, Kyoto Japan
The Heian-Jingu Shrine is another jewel located in Kyoto, Japan. Over the pond of Heian-Jingu Shrine, the winding stepping-stone “Lying down dragon bridge” was made from the selected recycled stones of the old Sanjo Ohashi and Gojo Ohashi bridges that both were built during the Toyotomi Hideyoshi era. A mystery vignette of the stepping-stone, which cannot be viewed all at once, leads visitors past the water lily pond and into inviting speculation around the next corner. The stones, rocks, water lilies, pine trees and soothing water sound create a serene and tranquil retreat.
A small garden has the traditional Japanese sliding door shōji and cranes in the silhouette.
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