Which architectural feature gives the Alhambra’s Court of the Lions its name?

The marble lion fountain gives the Alhambra’s Court of the Lions its name.

The Court of the Lions is a celebrated courtyard in the Nasrid palaces of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. It was developed under Muhammad V in the 14th century. Twelve marble lions support a large basin at the centre, with water flowing through channels into the surrounding courtyard.

The courtyard is enclosed by a colonnade of slender columns and richly decorated stucco, tilework, and carved inscriptions. Its layout combines visual symmetry with the sound and movement of water, a characteristic feature of many Islamic palace gardens and courtyards. The surrounding rooms include the Hall of the Abencerrajes and the Hall of the Two Sisters.

The lions are sometimes incorrectly described as purely decorative statues. They are part of a functioning fountain system and support the basin’s structure. The Court of the Lions is also distinct from the Court of the Myrtles, another major Alhambra courtyard organized around a long reflecting pool.