In the final stages of restoration

The latest research suggest that the Lions come from the house of the Jewish vizier "Yusuf Ibn Nagrela" (1066). It is not known if they were constructed before his death, and at the time, he was accused of wanting to build a much bigger palace than the king's. An almost exact description of the original fountain is still kept, written by the poet "Ibn Gabirol" (11th-c): they represent the 12 tribes of Israel, two of them have a triangle on the forehead, indicating the two chosen tribes:" Judá" and "Leví". They are from the 11th century. The Lions have recently been removed from the fountain for restoration, but will soon be back where they belong.
The poet and minister Ibn Zamrak wrote a poem to describe the beauty of the courtyard.