The Alhambra is Granada’s – and Europe’s – love letter to Moorish culture, as well as the last and most beautiful Arab palace built in Spain during the seven centuries of Moorish rule
Set against the brooding Sierra Nevada peaks, this fortified palace started life as a walled citadel before becoming the opulent seat of Granada’s Nasrid emirs. Their showpiece palaces, the 14th-century Palacios Nazaríes, are among the finest Islamic buildings in Europe and, together with the Generalife gardens, form the Alhambra’s great headline act.
The origins of the Alhambra, whose name derives from the Arabic al-qala’a al-hamra (the Red Castle), are mired in mystery. The first references to construction in the area appear in the 9th century but it’s thought that buildings may already have been standing since Roman times. In its current form, it largely dates to the 13th and 14th centuries when Granada’s Nasrid rulers transformed it into a fortified palace complex. Following the 1492 Reconquista (Christian reconquest), its mosque was replaced by a church and the Habsburg emperor Charles V had a wing of palaces demolished to make space for the huge Renaissance building that still bears his name. In the early 19th century, French Napoleonic forces destroyed part of the palace and attempted to blow up the entire site. Restoration work began in the mid-1800s and continues to this day.
PALACIO DE CARLOS V & AROUND
From the southeastern entrance pavilion, a signposted path leads into the core of the complex, passing the 15th-century Convento de San Francisco, now the Parador de Granada hotel, where the bodies of Isabel and Fernando were laid to rest while their tombs were being built in the Capilla Real. A short walk further on brings you to the Iglesia de Santa María de la Alhambra, built between 1581 and 1618 on the site of the Alhambra’s mosque.
Beyond the church, the Palacio de Carlos V clashes spectacularly with its surroundings. The hulking palace, begun in 1527 by the Toledo architect Pedro Machuca, features a monumental facade and a two-tiered circular courtyard ringed by 32 columns.
Inside the palace are two museums: the Museo de la Alhambra, which showcases an absorbing collection of Moorish artefacts, including the wood-carved door from the Sala de Dos Hermanas, and the excavated remains of the Acequia Real (Royal Water Channel); and the Museo de Bellas Artes, with 15th- to 20th-century artworks.
ALCAZABA
Occupying the western tip of the Alhambra are the martial remnants of the Alcazaba, the site’s original 13th-century citadel. The Torre de la Vela (Watchtower) is famous as the tower where the cross and banners of the Reconquista were raised in January 1492. A winding staircase leads to the top where you can enjoy sweeping views over Granada’s rooftops.
The secret of the Alhambra is that many of the walls contain inscriptions. They are not merely decorative but instead consist of poems and quotes from the Qur’an which filled everyday life with spirituality and beauty. If you would like to know more about these before your visit, you may want to check out the book “Reading the Alhambra” by José Miguel Puerta
PALACIOS NAZARÍES
The Alhambra’s stunning centrepiece, the palace complex known as the Palacios Nazaríes, was originally divided into three sections: the Mexuar, a chamber for administrative and public business; the Palacio de Comares, the emir’s official and private residence; and the Palacio de los Leones, a private area for the royal family and harem.
The founder of the dynasty, Alhamar, began to build in the 13th century, although the buildings that have survived to the present date date mainly from the 14th century. These palaces enclose within their walls the refinement and delicacy of the last Hispanic-Arab governors of Al Andalus, the Nasrid.
Often described as the highlight of Alhambra, the Nasrid Palace is a beautiful mansion that built for the Spanish Muslim rulers. With its perfectly proportional rooms, breathtaking symmetry, intricately detailed stucco walls, antique wooden ceilings, and brightly colored tiles, the Nasrid Palace is stunning in every sense of the word and definitely worth your time. A thriving example of Moorish-style architecture and craftsmanship, the Nasrid Palace is unlike any other in the entire world. A peaceful stroll through the quaint halls and rooms of this breathtaking palace will transport you to the days of Spanish royalty and showcase their opulence and grandeur.
Presently, the Nasrid Palace perfectly represents Islamic art and culture in Spain. Within the Nasrid Palace, there are many places of interest which you should visit, including the Palace of Comares, Lion’s Palace, Golden Room Courtyard and more. Do note that entry to the Nasrid Palace is strictly controlled and only a fixed number of people are allowed in at a time. Your ticket will mention the time slot allocated to you and you can explore the rest of Alhambra accordingly.
The Moors often said: “Nothing can be more terrible than to be blind in Granada”
GENERALIFE
The Generalife, the sultans’ gorgeous summer estate, dates to the 14th century. A soothing ensemble of pathways, patios, pools, fountains, trees and, in season, flowers of every imaginable hue, it takes its name from the Arabic jinan al-‘arif, meaning ‘the overseer’s gardens’.
A string of elegant rectangular plots with tinkling water features, the Jardines Nuevos, leads up to the whitewashed Palacio del Generalife, the emirs’ summer palace. The courtyards here are particularly graceful: the first, the Patio de la Acequia, has gorgeous gardens and distant views of the Palacios Nazaríes, while in the second one, the Patio de la Sultana, the trunk of a 700-year-old cypress tree suggests the delicate shade that would once have graced the area. Beyond this courtyard, the Escalera del Agua is a delightful work of landscape engineering with water channels running down a shaded staircase.
Granada, the last refuge of the Moors, fell in January 1492 after a four-month siege of the Alhambra and the surrender of the fortress by the last Moorish sultan known as Boabdil. When the sad procession led by the sultan left Granada and began the ascent towards the mountain massif of the snowy Sierra Nevada – on the way to Africa, the sultan turned towards Granada – and they say, with a deep sigh, he looked for the last time towards the Alhambra. Today, on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, there is a place where the alleged event took place – the viewpoint El suspiro del Moro (The Last Sigh of the Moors).
In 1984, the Alhambra was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a favorite tourist attraction in Spain as a blend of Arab-Islamic architecture mixed with the style of Christian buildings. During the summer months, the Alhambra hosts music and dance festivals featuring the best flamenco and ballet orchestras and dancers from all over the world.
Source: lonelyplanet.com
