The mystical jewel of Moorish Spain (Alhambra Palace (Granada))

Member Name: dee778

Product:	Alhambra Palace (Granada)
Date:	10/11/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beauty, wonderment

Disadvantages: None

I first visited the Alhambra well over 20 years ago - out of season, and before it became the well organised tourist destination it is today. I found it so moving and beautiful that I was determined to return, and last year I had the opportunity to take my whole family.

The Alhambra stands on a hill, high above the city of Granada. Lit up at night, or reflecting the harsh sun of a Spanish summer, it dominates the whole town and is Spain's most popular tourist attraction. It is composed of four distinct areas; the original red fort of the Alcazaba, the palaces of the Casa Real, Carlos V's palace and the summer palace and gardens of the Generalife.

Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, it is a huge, rambling mix of beautiful Islamic architecture, fantastically designed formal gardens, and a huge fortress. Designed by the Moorish rulers in the 14th century, it has often been suggested that the Alhambra should be added to the 7 wonders of the modern world, along with the Taj Mahl and the Coliseum. Its huge walls hide the most fantastic architectural treasures and must count as one of the most magical places to visit in Europe.

~~History~~

Originally designed as a military area, the Alhambra became the residence of royalty and the court of Granada in the middle of the thirteenth century. The Moors first built and used the Al Qal'a al-Hamra (the Red Fort) around 900. Within a generation, they had lost two-thirds of their land in Spain, but Mohammed I ibn Nasr agreed to assist the Christians in attacking Muslim Seville and by paying an annual tribute. The dynasty he founded, the Nasrids, would rule Granada for a further 250 years; with the Alhambra as a symbol of the last outpost of Muslim power in Europe.

Ibn Nasr, laid the foundations of the Alhambra in 1238, incorporating the old red fort into his design, rebuilding parts and encircling the defences with a huge, impenetrable outside wall and high towers which were placed at the top of the steepest drops. The Nazrids extended ibn Nasr's buildings over the centuries, expanding the palace complex into a self-enclosed town with a population of 40,000. Most of the Moors' most astounding work took place in the 14th Century, when the greatest palaces and the Generalife gardens were built.

In 1492 the Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella attacked and took the city from the last Nazrad sultan and lived in the palace for a short while. When it passed into the hands of their grandson, Carlos V, he added a palace to the site with the idea of turning Granada into his seat of power, although war with France intervened before the idea was completed.

In 1812, Napoleon's troops captured the city, looted the Alhambra and used it for military training, before trying to blow up the whole complex when they left. According to legend a wounded soldier was left behind, and removed the fuses to stop the destruction. Washington Irving, the American writer and traveller, rediscovered the Alhambra and made it famous with the publication of his book, Tales of the Alhambra, in 1832. The neglected buildings were quickly declared a National Monument by the Spanish soon afterwards.

~~Entrance~~

Tickets to the Alhambra are limited to 5,100 per day, with timed entry (3000 tickets for 8.30 entry and 2,100 for 2pm entry). It is possible to book online or by phone up to 3 months in advance. Although I knew all of these facts before my visit, I somehow failed to book in advance - only realising the enormity of my mistake once we had arrived at our hotel ! Having travelled there specifically to see the Spanish treasure that I had been raving about for decades, I was determined to get inside, at any cost.

On the advice of our friendly hotel owner, we joined the queue at 6.30am, walking up the steep hill to the ticket office and entrance. There were already had several hundred people in front of us. By 8.00am it had metamorphosed into an enormous snake of people that looped round and round the ticket office and officials were starting to tell people that they would not gain entrance that day. Even though I knew that this was peak summer tourism, I was still astounded.

At 8.30 sharp the queue started to move, and we breathed a sigh of relief as we got our tickets and stepped through the gates.

~~The Generalife~~

The Generalife is without any doubt the most beautiful and peaceful part of the Alhambra, and for this reason I recommend starting a visit with these gardens. While most people will shoot off to the more famous palaces, the gardens deserve to be seen in the early morning peace, without the crowds. At 8.45am we were able to stroll in total tranquillity around these very formal gardens, with only the sound of the tinkling water of fountains and running water disturbing our day. Here I was able to experience the serenity and almost mystical atmosphere as I strolled between high box cypress hedges and walked down ancient stone steps

'Generalife' is translated as 'garden of the architect'; it is a carefully designed series of gardens, patios and walkways. The sultans would retreat here to spend the hot summers amongst acacias and jasmine with their harem, and the 14th century historian Ibn Zamrak writes of celebrations at dusk, with horse racing in and out of the hedges at high speeds, fireworks and tightrope walkers - all to entertain the sultan. The gardens were started in the 13th century but have been modified over the years, and today you will find beautiful roses, manicured shrubbery and long pools filled with lilypads. As I strolled through the archways and walls of green cypress, I loved to imagine the ladies of the harem sitting beside the pools and fountains, watching the acrobats by torchlight and thrilled by the daring horsemen racing in and out of the cypress hedges.

Water defines the atmosphere in the Generalife. You approach the ancient buildings that surround the two enclosed gardens, by walking through the ornate gardens filled with pools and fountains. The most memorable of this is The escalera del agua, or "water staircase" - a stone staircase with water constantly running down a channel in the stone banister - genuinely Moorish in concept - and genuinely unique!

The pools and courtyards filled with moving water were loved by the desert people for the sound as much for the feeling of coolness. The built complex consists of the Patio de la Acequia (the Water-Garden Courtyard), which has a long pool framed by flowerbeds, fountains, colonnades and pavilions, and the Jardín de la Sultana (Sultana's Garden or Courtyard of the Cypress). Romantic legend says that the wife of the last Moorish rule of Granada, Boabdil, used this garden to secretly meet her doomed lover in the shade of this great cypress, which is now called the Ciprés de la Sultana. The tree is so old that it has to be held up with a metal brace.

These gardens have fantastic views across the hills through the ornate open windows, and you can stroll alongside the pools under cover of the colonnades, whilst looking at the many small fountains sparkling in the Spanish sunshine.

~~ The Palaces of the Casa Real~~

The most unique and fragile part of the Alhambra is the series of palaces called Casa Real Vieja, (old Royal House or Palace), which dates back to the 14th century and is the work of two great kings: Yusuf I and Muhammed V. This part of the Alhambra is the most famous, and therefore the busiest. There is no way to avoid the crowds in this area - tickets are timed, but once you have gained entrance, nobody will hustle you out. I recommend sitting in the courtyards to soak up the atmosphere. The crowds will come and go in waves, and once a crowd has dispersed, you will have the place to yourself for a couple of minutes to transport yourself back in time.

The Royal Complex consists of three main parts: Mexuar, Serallo, and the Harem. This series of royal rooms, whether their purpose was administrative, to receive royal guests or to house the harem - is truly awe inspiring. The series of courtyards are surrounded by canopies of great intricacy, with carved stalactites reaching up to the ceiling - the delicate plasterwork looks so vulnerable that you can't believe that it has survived this long. The most famous of the courtyard is the Chamber of Lions (Patio de los Leones). Renowned across the world, the Chamber of Lions must be the most breathtaking Moorish architecture that I have ever seen. I could look at the intricacy of the stonework forever, especially the small chambers to the side, with their domed roofs that have inlaid blues and greens inside the delicate lattice of pale stonework. The Court of the Lions has been compared to a grove of 124 palm trees, around the oasis of the central fountain with its twelve stone lions. The twelve-sided marble fountain rests upon the backs of the lions. Once again, water is a key element in this chamber, spilling from the basin onto the lions' backs and coming out of their mouths to trickle away in stone channels, to all four corners of the compass.

~~The Alcazaba~~

Alcazaba refers to Al-Qasbah, which means citadel - a solid fortress, and the oldest part of the Alhambra. Sultan Alhamar founded the Alcazaba during the mid 13th century, and the current complex was built by Mohammed I, who constructed the ramparts around the previous castle, defences and three new towers: The Broken Tower (Torre Quebrada), the Keep (Torre del Homenaje) and the Watch Tower (Torre de la Vela).
The primary reason to visit the Alcazaba is to climb to the top of this tower and relish the spectacular views of the city of Granada and surrounding country side. By this stage the sun is beating down heavily, and the climb up the steps to the top is not easy - but once you are there the views are incredible, looking out over the entire city of Granada and into the courtyards hidden inside the houses, you can look further out across the hills of the Sierra Navada in wonder.

The fortress of Alcazaba is known for holding one of the largest towers, which is known as Torre de la Vela. The name Torre de la Vela derives from the great bell that is hung on the tower top, also known as the Sentinel. A symbol of Chrisianity, this bell could be heard for miles and was used to let the fieldhands know that it was time to stop their work.

~~Carlos V's Palace~~

After the wonders of the Patio de los Leones, this palace is almost a let down, and we nearly decided to give it a miss after a long, hot day of sightseeing. Construction of the palace began in 1527, The building is square, and sparsely decorated, in stark contrast to the opulent buildings surrounding it. Inside, the cool stonework is a welcome respite from the sun, and you can stand in the remarkable circular courtyard with its 30 meter diameter, or walk through the 32 stone Doric columns that surround it. In the Renaissance style, this ground floor courtyard has a second circular floor with a balcony that looks down onto the circular arena.

Architecturally, there is much to admire in this palace, but I found myself passing through fairly quickly, spoilt by the Moorish wonders that I had seen earlier that day.

~~Practicalities~~

We chose to walk up the steep path to the top of the hill, via the Cuesta del Rey Chico, which means the Little King's Slope, This street is popularly known as the Cuesta de los Chinos, or Pebble Slope, because of its paving.. Although this was lovely in the cool of the early morning, it is less pleasant in the heat of the day, and definitely not for the unfit or disabled. A more popular and historically interesting path, runs from Plaza Nueva into the Cuesta de Gomérez, but this is also very steep and not for the unfit. There are plenty of buses and taxis that will take you to the top - but I would still recommend the walk, either up or down, if you can manage it, as you pass some intriguing little shops and cafes and some lovely gardens.

There are plenty of restaurants, and shops selling food and drink inside the complex.

Admission prices:
There are three types of tickets: Daytime visit, Garden visit and Evening or Night time visit.
It is always advisable to book your ticket in advance, using one of the online ticket sites.

■ General ticket: 13.00E (includes all gardens and palaces)
■ Concessions: Senior citizens (aged 65 years and over) 9,00E.
■ Children up to 12 years of age and visitors with special needs: Free entry
■ Ticket to visit the gardens: 6,00E.

Summary: Deserves to be a world wonder