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The third period shows a decline in art, and its exam-ples exhibit a mixture with the style then prevalent inItaly, and which was spreading itself throughout Europe .M. Laborde found specimens of this style in the fortressesof Benevente, Pennafiel, Cordesillas, Segovia, and Seville .At this date the plans continued much the same as before,but Greek ornaments began to be employed, and Corinthian columns are frequently seen supporting Moorish arches.The restrictions also respecting the representation of livingfigures began to be less strictly adhered to.

We forthwith proceed to give a description of some of themore noted Spanish structures of this style, at the head ofwhich, in point of date, if not of importance, stands themosque of Cordova.

This place is stated to have contained no less than 600| mosques, 900 baths, and 2,000 houses. Of these buildings; the mosque to which we allude was one of the most impor-• tant; it was commenced by Abdurrahman in the eighth| century, and completed by his son and successor, Hisham, in[ the same century, since which period it has been frequentlyenlarged and enriched by subsequent kaliphs. The plan ofthe building is a rectangle or oblong, whose longest sidefrom north to south is 620 feet, and that from east to west440 feet; the whole space being enclosed by a wall withcounterforts, both of which are embattled, and surrounded by! four streets, which renders it isolated from all other build-; ings. The wall is 8 feet thick, and varies in height from; 35 to 60 feet. The entire space enclosed by it, is dividedI into two parts, the first of which, at the northern extremity,

| was the court in which the Moslems performed the requisite; ablutions ere entering the mosque. This quadrangle mea-: sured 210 feet in depth, and was surrounded by a colonnadeI i of 72 columns enclosing three fountains. The remaining| space is occupied by the mosque, which is divided internallyj into 19 naves, running from north to south, and extendingin length about 400 feet, and into 32 from east to west.Each of the naves from south to north is about 16 feet wide,and those in the cross direction somewhat less, and areseparated from each other in both directions by rows ofcolumns, whose number amounted in all to 850, to which, ifwe add the 72 in the external colonnade, we shall have atotal of 922 columns. They were composed of jasper andthe richest marbles, measuring 18 inches in diameter, and onan average 15 feet in height : their capitals are of variousdesigns, but all approaching the Corinthian or Composite inform, and upon these spring the arches. There were no lessthan 21 entrances, the doors of which were all covered withthe best Andalusian brass. The cupola was 72 cubits, or108 feet in height, and was surmounted by three apples,j two of which were of pure gold, and the central one of silver,each measuring three spans and a half in circumference. Theceilings were of wood painted, each range forming on theexterior a small .roof, separated from the adjoining oneby a gutter. The chief entrance that led into the Maksuraor sanctuary, is said to have been formed of gold, as were alsothe walls of the Mibhra or chancel : the floor of the Mak-sura was of pure silver, and in it, on a throne of wood ofaloes, with nails of pure gold, was preserved, in a case of thesame metal set with pearls and rubies, the principal copy ofthe koran. The pulpit was formed of the most preciouswoods, such as ebony, sandal, brazil, citron, and wood ofaloes, and occupied a period of seven years in its manufac-ture. The interior of the edifice was lighted by 280 chan-deliers of brass and silver, containing 11,000 lamps.

Cordova once possessed a palace, which, according to theaccounts of Mohammedan writers, was of the greatest mag-nificence ; of this, however, although of more recent erection

than the mosque by two centuries, we have no rerna ' nS ^]e,is said to have been adorned with 4,000 pillars of nli,rand to have had floors of the same material. 0 (

The Alhambra is the most perfect and beautiful build' o,^this style with which we are acquainted, and one of " j t jjwe have more detailed information than of any other. 0 fsituated on the northern brow of one of the steep ‘ 1]Granada , and is approached from the city through a nastreet, which leads to the entrance, called the Gate of "ment, so named from the ancient practice of holding

courts of justice at the entrances of cities. This gi* te

square

tower, with an entrance under a large horse

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arch, which readies half-way up the tower, and has ~hand sculptured on the key-stone, emblematical of the ® ^potence of the Deity . The gate is of white marble, "liowever, has become much discoloured through age^texposure ; it is decorated above with mosaic tiling, _ jp3 feet 4 inches in height, beneath which is an inscrip 11Cufic characters, of the motto “ There is no conq lie,0 f |, jaGod, ” and beneath this again on the keystone of the aj,sculptured a key, one of the principal symbols 0 ;

followers of Mohammed. , t/

The entire plan of the building measures 2,300 < e600 feet, and is divided into several courts, all upon

plane. The first of these is the court of cisterns, so *'j f \ t efrom the cisterns which it contains, and which supP"palace with water. The largest cistern is 102 feet lo n g’ p e et56 feet wide, the whole being enclosed by a wall t ]i0thick, and covered over with an arch 47 feet 6 inches

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centre, and 17 feet 6 inches below the surface of the g'® |(

There are two circular apertures 25 feet 6 inches apa'h

feet 6 inches in diameter, strongly built, and carrie 1feet 6 inches above the level of the ground. The

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by this means kept in a constant state of coolness;climates, a matter of some importance.

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On the north side of the Court of Cisterns , is the - t wor common bathing-court, which is an oblong of 15056 feet. This hall is more enriched than the h>s o 1 ileads us to notice a common practice of the Moot' 1 ',increasing the luxury and magnificence of their ( '®, C t i,ere ’j*towards the interior of their buildings. In thisan arcade springing from very light marble column-, .(.r^

material the floor also is composed ; the walls a ,e ^ ,,pe''with mosaic tiling up to the ceiling, in which are {jit*tures in the shape of stars, lined with green-glu ze |

assist ventilation, and diffuse a refreshing coolness ■out the building. I he bath-rooms of the kabph a j poi 1 ^ :are very richly finished, ornamented with gilding ^

lain : the basins are of white marble, and the ^ „4>icovered to the height of the cornices with black f j tomosaics. The roof is of stone, vaulted, and is p er t

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ventilation, as above.

At the lower end of the Mesuar is the Court which is considered one of the most splendid e * a Jj,er9» \Moorish architecture still existing. It is, like the. °oblong court, measuring 100 feet in length by 50 K„and is surrounded with a corridor or arcade, supp° r jncolumns of white marble, 9 feet high, and 8^ i' lC J ffn b® ,a tcumference. The capitals vary in design ; each defrequently repeated, but similar designs being P' ! ! ce oS e<l ''pyany regard to regularity. The columns also are < ^ I! "P, !lS iai" 1gularly, sometimes singly, at others coupled, and ° c ,

in groups of three. . ;,,g 4

The arches are of different sizes, the larger ^

2 inches wide, the smaller about 3 feet. They aI al|( ] swith a profusion of highly finished arabesques* ^ u „d i

mounted with an inscription; a rich cornice run*