Granada

The beautiful Alhambra palace and fabulous gardens of the Generalife are not to be missed in any visit to Andalucia.

The Alhambra and Genaralife      photo copyright

Granada is one of my favourite cities of Spain, being a fan of Moorish architecture and a keen gardener the Alhambra palace and the Generalife are a great attraction.

Granada itself was first occupied by the moors in the 8th century and thrived in the period 1232 to 1492 under the Nasrid dynasty. Fine moorish buildings were errected. Following this there was a period of Renaissance growth all adding to the splendeur of the town.

The Alhambra palace was built during the Nasrid dynasty and is a very soothing and very beatiful mixture of rooms and patios. The Generalife is on the north side and was the country estate of the Nasrid kings. The gardens are all laid out in a Moorish style and are stunning.

The Alcazaba is also sited on the Alhambra hill. This is the earliest part of the fortress. At the top there is a bell turret, the Torre de la Vela. This is the spot where a cross was first errected to mark the defeat of the Moors by the Christians.

After visiting the Alhambra there are other attractions to see in Granada. Albaicin is an interesting quarter, formerly a Moorish town it is full of narrow alleys to explore. Other Moorish sytle buildings are the Palacio de la Madrawa, formerly an Arab university and now the city hall, Corral del Carbon with its galeried courtyard and Casa de lors Tiros, a palace built in Mudejar style. There are also some Arab baths, the El Banuelo.

The gothic and renaissance cathedral is impressive and the Capilla Real has a beautiful grille surrounding the alter.

 

 

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