Courtyard pond and Tower of Comares. The name Comares comes from the Arabic for stained glass, camariyya, for the colored panes which once adorned its windows but were blown out by an explosion in a powder house below on the river bank, in the 16th century. The entrance to the palace of Comares is framed in beautifully patterned walls, it seems modest and small compared to the monumental scene which lies at the end of its corridor. The great pond is named for the fragrant myrtles which grew around it, in corrupted Arabic, arrayanes. Alhambra (Calat Alhambra) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was constructed during the mid 10th century by the Arabic ruler Badis ben Habus. The majority of the palace buildings are quadrangular in plan, with all the rooms opening on to a central court. The Alhambra was extended by the different Muslim rulers who lived in the complex. Each new section followed the consistent theme of paradise on earth. Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. The exterior was left plain and austere. Sun and wind were freely admitted. Blue, red, and a golden yellow are the colors chiefly employed. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.