Our day at the Alhambra started at the crack of dawn as many on our vacations do. We walked a few blocks, then took a little bus to the entrance gate. By the time we arrived we were already in a line a few dozen people long.
There are timed entrances on portions of the ticket so that areas of The Alhambra aren’t overrun. According to everything we’d read, the best times to visit are earliest and latest of the day. The earliest time still available made the most sense to us so we would have more time to explore before closing.
Very Brief History
Construction on the castle/fortress started in 889, and was part of the Nasrid dynasty by the mid-11th century. Much of the construction with the absolutely gorgeous Islamic architecture and design took place in the 1300’s.
Catholic monarchs destroyed a portion of the complex and built the Palace of Charles V in the early 1500’s. Eventually the site was abandoned, fell into disrepair, and was being used by squatters until it was rediscovered in the 19th century.
The Alcazaba & Arms Square
The Alcazaba is the oldest part of the Alhambra. With the ramparts and many towers, these areas would have been used as a fortress and weapons storage during times of siege. The bell on the Watch Tower, or Torre de la Vela, was used as a signal danger, or to tell workers in the valley below the different times they had to carry out certain tasks such as watering fields.
Nowadays, the single ladies like the bell! Tradition says that every young, single, woman who rings the bell on January 2nd will be married by the end of the year.
The Nasrid Palaces
The Nasrid Palaces were designed with a theme of ‘paradise on earth.’ The columns, arches, fountains and reflecting pools create just the right atmosphere.
Several different areas make up the Nasrid Palaces. All of the rooms are impressive–from the baths to the court yards, to the harem, they’re extraordinary.
The walls are intricately carved, covered in Arabic inscriptions or ornate geometric tiled patterns. Kudos to the people who made these designs! I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of effort and concentration it would take to make something so tiny and delicate on such a HUGE scale.
And, it isn’t just the walls that are gorgeous, the ceilings are just as awesome. The muqarnas would have taken forever to design and carve. (Muqarnas are the fanciful stalactite-like accents of Islamic architecture.)
I had never seen anything quite like the Sala de los Abencerrajes. A photo can’t do the rooftop justice. Even today, in its faded state the carving is crazy beautiful. You can see chips and flecks of colour through-out. Just try to picture what that would look like colorized!
The Generalife
The Nasrid Kings used the Generalife as an escape from palace life. As a “country estate” the gardens and ponds are surrounded by perfectly manicured hedges, flowers, and orchard-like settings. I was especially excited about the Pomegranate trees! We do not see those growing in Canada that’s for sure. And, I totally nerded out and took pictures of them too. Classic tourist style!
As a historical complex with beautiful gardens and architectural intrigue at every corner, and as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Alhambra is an obvious must on any visit to Granada. Check it out for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.
Happy Travels
~j
Two monumental works, Gaudí’s Sagrada Familila and Domènech i Montaner’s Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, bookend the quiet pedestrian street of Avinguda de Gaudí.
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