LAST - King of Granada, Boabdil - Irvington, NY - Last of its Kind on Waymarking.com

Irving was well traveled. A large part of his life was spent in Europe. After visiting Spain he wrote about the fall of Granada and the reaction of King Muhammad XII of Granada, known to the Spanish as Boabdil, as he turned over the key of the city to Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1491. Boabdil was the twenty-second and last Nasrid ruler of Granada.

The events were written in Irving's Tales of the Alhambra (1832). "Way to the exile, Boabdil did not dare to turn the glance towards Granada, and when it was to much distance, on the well-known hill by the Sigh of the Moor he stopped and observing for the last time his palace... he only sighed."

The Washington Irving Memorial was commissioned in 1926, sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the architect was Charles Platt Adams, it was cast at the Gorham Manufacturing Company, and fabricated by Piccirilli Brothers Marble Carving Studios. It was dedicated on June 27, 1927, rededicated June 27, 1977 and rededicated once again on October 25, 1998.

In the center of a curved pink granite wall a pedestal holds a 34 by 32 by 13 inch bronze bust of Washington Irving. On Irving's right side is a 6' high bronze relief sculpture of Boabdil on Irving's left side is a 6' high bronze relief sculpture of Rip Van Winkle.

Irving is depicted wearing a coat and an ascot tie. Boabdil shown in 3/4 profile facing Irving. He is wearing a long robed garment, boots and a pointed cap. He holds a sword which is hung from his left side. Rip Van Winkle is shown in 3/4 profile facing Irving. He is wearing a ragged long coat and wide-brimmed hat. He holds a rifle vertically by the barrel with his left hand.

Below the relief of Boabdil is inscribed in bronze letters: