News Chemistry

Why once-gold ceilings in Spain’s Alhambra palace have purple stains

Corrosion processes formed gold nanospheres of the right size for violet

landscape photo of the Alhambra palace

Spain's Alhambra palace is considered a pinnacle of medieval Islamic architecture. Scientists now know why some of its intricate gold decorations turned purple.

Jebulon/Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)

By Carmen Drahl

- More than 2 years ago

Once upon a time, Spain’s hilltop Alhambra palace glittered with gold.