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Alhambra History

Alhambra is a place where  intellectuals and artists took refuge as Christian Spain won victories over Al Andalus. At completion towards the end of Muslim rule in Spain by Yusuf I (1333-1353) and Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada (1353-1391), the Alhambra reflects the culture of the last days of the Nasrid emirate of Granada.

Beginning references to the Qal’at al Hamra were during the battles between the Arabs and the Muladies during the rule of the ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad (r. 888-912). During one fierce and bloody skirmish, the Muladies easily defeated the Arabs, who were then forced to take shelter in a primitive red castle located in the province of Elvira, currently located in Granada. The castle was mainly ignored until the eleventh century, when its ruins were revived and rebuilt by Samuel in Naghrela, vizier to the King Bādīs of the Zirid Dynasty, in an effort to preserve the small Jewish colony also located on the Sabikah hill. According to surviving documents from the era, the red castle was not large, and its walls did not have the ability of deterring an army determined to  conquer.

Founder of the Nasrid Dynasty,Ibn Nasr,  was forced to flee to Jaén to avoid persecution by King Ferdinand and his followers during attempts to rid Spain of Moorish Dominion. After making his way to Granada, Ibn-Nasr lived at the Palace of Bādis in the Alhambra. Several months later, he began on the construction of a new Alhambra fit for a king to reside. The lay-out included plans for six palaces, five of which were grouped in the northeast quadrant forming a royal quarter, two circuit towers, and numerous bathhouses. During the rule of the Nasrid Dynasty, the Alhambra was transformed into a palatine city complete with an irrigation system composed of acequias for the gardens of the Generalife located outside the fortress. Before, the old Alhambra structure depended on water from rain that was collected from a cistern and from what could be brought up from the Albaicín. The creation of the Sultan’s Canal solidified the identity of the Alhambra as a palace-city rather than a defensive and ascetic structure.

Travel from the city to the Alhambra Park is possible by the Puerta de las Granadas (Gate of Pomegranates), a triumphal arch dating from the 15th century. A steep ascent leads past the Pillar of Charles V, a fountain constructed in 1554, to the main entrance of the Alhambra. This is the Puerta de la Justicia (Gate of Judgment), a large impressive horseshoe archway surmounted by a square tower and used by the Moors as an informal court of justice. The hand of Fatima, with fingers outstretched as a talisman against the evil eye, is carved above this gate on the exterior; a key, the symbol of authority, occupies the same  place on the interior.

Currently, the entrance to the Palacio Árabe, or Casa Real (Moorish palace), is located by a small door from which a corridor meets  the Patio de los Arrayanes (Court of the Myrtles), also called the Patio de la Alberca (Court of the Blessing or Court of the Pond), from the Arabic birka, “pool”. This court is 42 m (140 ft) long by 22 m (74 ft) wide; and in the middle, there is a large pond set in the marble pavement, full of goldfish, and with myrtles growing around the sides. There are galleries on the north and south sides; the one on the south is 7 m (27 ft) high and supported by a marble column. From this court, the walls of the Torre de Comares can be seen rising over the rooftop to the north and reflected in the pond.

The square is paved with colored tiles, and the colonnade with white marble; while the walls are covered 5 ft (1.5 m)  with blue and yellow tiles, with a border above and below enamelled blue and gold. You will find that the columns supporting the roof and gallery are irregularly placed. They are adorned by varieties of foliage, etc.; about each arch there is a large square of arabesques; and over the pillars is another square of filigree work. The Patio de los Leones (Court of the Lions) is an oblong court, 116 ft (35 m) long and 66 ft (20 m) wide, surrounded by a low gallery supported on 124 white marble columns. A pavilion projects into the court, with filigree walls and a light domed roof.

Of the outer buildings in connection with the Alhambra, the most interesting is the Palacio de Generalife. This villa more than likely dates from the end of the 13th century but has been restored several times. Its gardens, however, with their clipped hedges, grottos, fountains, and cypress avenues, are said to keep their original Moorish character. The Torres Bermejas, also on Monte Mauror, is a well-preserved Moorish fortification, with underground cisterns, stables, and accommodation for a garrison of 200 men. The Villa de los Martire remembers by its name the Christian slaves who were forced to build the Alhambra and kept here in subterranean cells.

The Muslim rulers lost Granada and Alhambra in 1492 without the fortress itself being attacked when King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile dominated the surrounding region with an overwhelming force of numbers.

The Alhambra matches many medieval Christian strongholds in its threefold arrangement as a castle, a palace, and a residential annex. The alcazaba or citadel, its oldest part, is built on the desolate and precipitous land which terminates the plateau on the northwest. Only massive outer walls, towers, and ramparts are left. On its watchtower, the Torre de la Vela, 25 m (85 ft) high, the flag of Ferdinand and Isabella was first raised, in remembrance of the Spanish conquest of Granada on January 2, 1492.

Alhambra Visitor Information
The Alhambra is located in Granada Spain and is open year round. General admission tickets are €10 while tickets to the famous gardens are €5. The park opens at 8:30pm and is open to 6pm or 8pm depending on the season. It is important to arrive early as general admission tickets are sold on a first come, first serve basis. If you do not arrive by 9:30am, tickets are usually sold out, especially during the high tourist season.

Some of the things to highlight while visiting Alhambra include:

• Travel to the Alhambra by foot- Alhambra is located at the top of a hill so going by foot is recommended to enjoy the natural and artistic aspects of the surroundings.

• The Gate of Pomegranates- This is the beginning of the tree lined avenues of the Alhambra. Pedro Machuca built this gate under the orders of Charles V around 1536.

• See a Flamenco Show – Everyday at 10:00 a “zambra” which is a form of a flamenco show which is danced in caves of the Sacromonte, the gypsy district is offered at the Alhambra.

• The World Famous Gardens of Generalife – The marvelous gardens, bordering on the Alhambra, were made in the early 14th century and conserve their original shaping. They have inspired many musicians and authors.

Alhambra Conservation Efforts

The Granada Conservation Programme protects the site and oversees the sustainable management of the Alhambra site. The Restoration Programme supervises restoration and preservation activities, while the Archaeological Programme conducts research.  The sustainable preservation, planning and management of the landscape, conservation of the ecosystems and natural habitats, are under the care of the Forests, Flower and Vegetable Gardens Programme, and the Biodiversity Programme.