MARRIOTT BUZZ NO. 14 - 2018

9 reinterpretation.” In relation to this, Giese highlights that it was the aesthetical elements of Islamic architecture which Von Diebitsch was most infatuated with; “like the sebka and interlaced-star ornament, Nasrid capitals and columns, as well as the muqarnas elements of the arches and vaults” as the most significant gifts of Moorish-Islamic architecture. Aside from being captivated by the “foreign and unconventional aesthetics” of the Moorish style, Von Diebitsch offered his own well-known contribution of functionality and practicality with his imposition of iron-cast facades constructed in Germany and then shipped to Egypt. Giese states that some of the other hallmarks of his influence, besides the “iron elements on the outside of the building” can be seen in the “interior halls and monumental staircase.” Giese notes that while Von Diebitsch did not contribute any until then entirely novel method of execution, he was adept at “transferring local practices - revitalized in the 19th century in Granada - to the state-of-the-art technique of cast-iron,” perhaps his most original feat of architectural composition. In response to a final question about whether Von Diebitsch had a tendency to marry distinct contrasting architectural styles, Giese clarifies that for the Gezirah Palace “we can observe that Alhambresque décors were mainly applied to European-influenced floor-plans and elevations.” Whereas in examples of his work elsewhere for example “at the Beyerbey Palace of Istanbul, the use and distribution of the palace’s different sections and rooms followed traditional schemes.”