The fact that a number of historical monuments included in the list of world attractions “Properties of Humanity”. Wherever the traveler finds himself on his way along the roads of Spain, everywhere he will encounter a mysterious past, represented by impressive monuments and monuments - silent witnesses to the glory and power of empires of different eras.
Spain survived the period of Roman rule, as evidenced by Roman aqueducts, elements of ancient theaters and arenas, watchtowers and defensive buildings.
The Arabs left a significant mark on the culture of the peninsula, whose dominance lasted for almost eight centuries, starting from the 8th century AD. The most famous building of that era, executed in inimitable oriental style, is the grand Alhambra Palace ("Red Castle"), located in the vicinity of Granada.
Location of the Alhambra Palace
Spain ranks most of the Iberian Peninsula, the most southern point which is separated from only by a narrow strip of the Strait of Gibraltar (width - 14 km). Spain is separated from its neighbor by the rugged Pyrenees Mountains, which has led to its relative isolation from Europe for centuries.
The magnificent Alhambra is one of the attractions of Spain, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. In the Middle Ages, it was the center of the last and longest existing Muslim state in Spain. The hill on which the Alhambra fortress stands gently descends towards the city, and from the side of the Sierra Nevada it forms a steep cliff, at the bottom of which the waters of the Darro rush rapidly into Guadalquivir.
The palace fortress rises above the city with a picturesque mass of roofs perched on top of each other, towers, domes and battlements.
The Alhambra Fortress ("Al Qal'a al-Hambra") is the only surviving monument of Moorish art in the city of Granada, considered one of the. The elaborately decorated fortress represents the pinnacle of Moorish art and culture.
History of the Alhambra Palace
In 711, detachments of Arab and Berber warriors, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, invaded the peninsula. Since then, maurus (from the Greek word for "dark") - the name of one of the Berber tribes of northwestern Africa - has spread to all the Muslim conquerors of Spain.
The Cordoba Caliphate is a powerful and prosperous state of antiquity, whose independence was proclaimed in 929 in the face of the rest Muslim world. Soon Arab Spain turned into the most populated, rich and comfortable country in Europe. But in the 11th century, the Cordoba Caliphate collapsed, however, this did not delay the further development of the “Moorish style” in art. He only acquired the features of greater lyricism.
Art reached its peak in the famous architectural complex"Alhambra". The palace ensemble took shape at different times and, of course, did not have an initial general plan, but at the same time it is distinguished by its amazing architectural unity. It was here that Moorish culture experienced its heyday, its short “golden age.”
The fortress-palace was built by the last Arab emirs of Spain. The Alhambra was built during a period of decline (in Spain, the Reconquista was ending - the centuries-old struggle of the Spaniards against the Arab conquerors). The rulers of that era, in order to forget about reality, decided to create a paradise palace in the style of the fairy tales of 1001 nights. Moreover, the materials for construction were not very expensive, since the emirs of Granada did not have money at that time.
The construction of the castle was started by the founder of the dynasty, Mohammed ibn Yusuf Nazr, in the middle of the 13th century. However, the decoration of the royal chambers dates back to the second half of the 14th century, during the reigns of Yusuf I and Mohammed V.
For the Nasrid dynasty, the Alhambra became the administrative center and royal residence. The 25 rulers of the Nasrid dynasty ruled here for 250 years. In 1492 the Nasrids were expelled from Granada.
The Christian ruler Ferdinand the Magnificent in 1515 gave a special order to preserve the Alhambra - “such an exceptional and magnificent structure.” Now on the territory of the Alhambra there is Royal Palace, which was erected by one of the next Spanish kings. The architect Pedro Machuca was then engaged in the restoration of the Alhambra and looked after its gardens. But he was also a student of the great Michelangelo and therefore, fulfilling the king’s command, he planned to build majestic building in the Renaissance style.
In 1536, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, moved his residence to Granada and, with great difficulty, agreed not to rebuild the Alhambra. True, he wanted to add a rotunda to it, but it was never finished. Several decades later, the palace complex began to fall into decay and desolation. Napoleon's troops partially destroyed the ancient Nasrid fortress - part of the structures was blown up. Only in the 19th century did restoration and reconstruction of the complex begin.
Structural features of the Alhambra Palace
“If you look from the outside, it’s just an absurd collection of turrets and roofs, without a shadow of logic, without a hint of coherence and architectural grace. It is impossible to guess the beauty and charm that awaits the visitor inside,” this is the description of the Alhambra left by the American writer Irving in 1829. This contrast between the exterior and interior of the Alhambra can still amaze anyone to this day. From the outside, the Red Castle looks like a stern fortress. From the inside, the Alhambra resembles an architectural paradise on earth.
The Alambra complex includes: Alcazaba - a 13th-century fortress; Palace of Charles V; royal chambers and gardens of the Generalife. Patios, walkways, fountains, ponds and cascades combine beautifully with each other. Ceramic tiles, stone and wood carvings, intricate floral patterns and writing in Arabic script form an amazing decorative wealth. All the architect's attention was directed to the interior decoration of the premises: the floors in the Alhambra are covered with colorful mosaics, the wall panels are covered with multi-colored metal tiles.
A fortress wall 2200 meters long surrounds the castle grounds, where inside is the Alambra Palace itself and palace services (all buildings from the period 1238-1492).
The Alhambra has neither a clear plan nor a main axis, on both sides of which identical buildings would be located. It is rather a labyrinth of halls, pavilions, towers, emerging as needed or at the whim of the artist around two large courtyards. Separate rooms, passages, and halls are grouped in the most bizarre and random way around these large and several small courtyards.
The center of palace life in the Alhambra was the “Courtyard of the Lions” (28 m by 15 m) with a fountain in the center, which rests on the backs of 12 small lions made of gray marble. The number of lions is not accidental. According to legend, 12 lions supported the throne of King Solomon. Sultan Muhammad al Ghani was told about this by his vizier Ibn Nagrella, by origin. He also advised the Sultan to decorate the fountain with figures of lions.
From the mouth of each sculpture, a stream of water shoots directly into the canal surrounding the fountain. The water in the canal comes from four reservoirs under the floor of the hall. They are connected to shallow pools of fountains located in adjacent rooms. Fountains, streams and waterfalls are no less characteristic of Arab buildings than columns are of Greek ones. It is no coincidence that the inscription on the fountain in the Lion Courtyard remains: “Look at the water and look at it, and you will not be able to decide whether the water is calm or marble flowing.”
On the western side of the Lion Courtyard is the “Hall of Stalactites,” so named because of the lace decoration of its ceiling. Unfortunately, this ceiling was destroyed at the end of the 16th century during a fire and in 1614 it was replaced by an elliptical covering.
“Myrtle Courtyard” is an open area (110 m by 78 m) with a narrow pool, which is surrounded by bushes and myrtles. At each end of the courtyard there are niches with decorated arches, and at the northern end of the courtyard is the “Hall of Ambassadors” - the reception room of the Moorish rulers. All this splendor is completed by a cedar wood dome. This room was created for official ceremonies and court celebrations. The dome of this room is decorated with a star pattern, shimmering at a height of 18.3 meters. It is said that the appearance of this artificial sky can easily compete with the real night sky. Directly opposite the entrance was the throne of the rulers of Granada.
The “Hall of Ambassadors” was built in the 14th century and is the largest in the Alhambra: its dimensions are 11/11/18 meters. At floor level there are nine large arched windows, three of which are separated in the center by marble columns. The thickness of the walls of the “Hall of Ambassadors” reaches three meters, so each of the windows forms an independent, richly decorated room.
The entrance to the Comares Tower is preceded by the long, narrow “Boat Hall”. Some researchers explain this name by the similarity of the painting on the ceiling of the hall with the keel of a ship. However, the Spanish writer Carlos Pascual traces the etymology of the word “barca” (“Hall of La Barca”) to the Arabic “baraka” - “blessing, grace,” and this seems the most plausible.
“The Hall of Two Sisters” - according to one legend, two Christian sisters languished in this hall; they died of longing for their lovers separated from them. This square hall is one of the most perfect buildings of the Alhambra. It is distinguished by its magnificent ornamental decoration. The stucco decorations of this hall, reminiscent of stalactites, have triumphed over time and here reach their perfection: not a single tile is alike.
Opposite the “Hall of the Two Sisters” is the “Abencerhav Hall”. In 1482, as legend has it, bloody murders took place here. To clear the way for his son Boabdil to the throne, his father summoned 36 more contenders to the Alhambra. They were met in this hall by the executioner who was already waiting and cut everyone’s throat.
The arcades along the perimeter of the courtyard are supported by 124 columns, and two gazebos were erected on the western and eastern sides, from where a beautiful view of the lions opens, whose mouths spew streams of water. Each arch in the courtyard is enclosed in a patterned frame, into the ornament of which is woven the script of Arabic letters. “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger,” these words are repeated several times.
Alhambra today
The palace is interesting because it is one of the oldest and best preserved Arab palaces in the world. That is why the capital of Granada, or more precisely, the Alhambra, is the preferred destination for tourists. The Arab monument, one of the most visited in Greece, welcomes more than two million guests every year.
The architectural and park ensemble of the Alhambra includes a fortress, palaces and gardens of the Moorish rulers. This complex is recognized the highest achievement of Muslim architects in Western Europe. Millions of tourists from all over the world come here every year to visit the museum of Islamic art and culture.
The Alhambra is located in southern Spain on top of a rocky plateau in the eastern part of Granada. Poets of the Middle Ages called this structure "emerald pearl", highlighting the dramatic structures against the backdrop of blue skies, green forests and the white snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
From Arabic the name “Alhambra” is literally translated as "red castle". According to one version, the castle got its name because of the red flame of the torches that illuminated the long-term construction site. The second version connects the name with the color of clay dried by the sun.
History of the Alhambra
Construction of the Alhambra began during the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Muslims in the 8th century. During the reign of the Nasrid dynasty from 1230 to 1492, Granada was the capital of the Emirate of Granada.
Having conquered the sunny lands of Spain, the Moorish emirs decided to create a piece of heaven on earth- this is how the Alhambra arose, surrounded by the shady gardens of Granada. For many years it served as the residence of many emirs.
The extensive complex at that time included warehouses, baths, residential buildings, mosques, gardens and cemeteries, surrounded by a fortress wall with towers. The palaces of the Alhambra that have survived to this day mainly date back to the 14th century.
From the inside, the complex is a harmonious combination of numerous graceful arches over ponds and canals, terraces and courtyards with fountains, water cascades, carved patterned windows, vaults, slender columns and the picturesque gardens of the Alhambra. All this marvelous splendor is decorated with carved patterns on wood and stone, colorful mosaics, fancy Arabic script, ceramic tiles and floral patterns.
Water and light play a major role in the overall composition of the Alhambra. The sun's rays are reflected in the canals and sparkle in the splashes of fountains and cascades that fill the reservoirs. All this splendor is buried in the greenery of cypress alleys, orange trees and bright colors of all kinds of colors.
Water was the most valuable resource for the Moors, as reflected by the inscription preserved on the fountain in the lion courtyard: “Look at the water and look at the reservoir, and you will not be able to decide whether the water is calm or marble flowing.” The reservoirs and canals of the Alhambra were filled with melt water from the mountain .
Get to the Alhambra maybe on the way , through the park area on the slope of Cuesta de Gomerez between the Gate of Justice and the Pomegranate Gate. During the reign of the Moors, the Gate of Justice was the main entrance to the Alhambra Palace.
A huge gate in the shape of a horseshoe greets visitors with an inscription in Arabic: “Praise be to God. There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. There is no other authority but God's."
Alhambra architecture
The Alhambra architectural complex consists of many rooms, towers, courtyards and passages. Each element is unique and has its own purpose. Many of the names speak for themselves: "Courtyard of Lions" so named because of the 12 lions decorating the fountain.
"The Hall of Two Sisters" got its name from two huge white marble slabs built into the floor. The stucco decoration and tiles of the Hall of the Two Sisters are perhaps the most impressive sight in the entire Alhambra. The hall has the largest Arabic stalactite vault. It is made in the form of a honeycomb with approximately 5000 cells.
"Myrtle courtyard" decorated with evergreen myrtle trellises.
The “Chamber of Ambassadors” was built for palace celebrations and ceremonies. The high dome of the chamber is decorated with a shimmering star pattern.
The easternmost part of the Alhambra Palace is occupied by defensive tower(Torre de las Damas) with a small mosque, an adjacent vaulted hall and a swimming pool. The remaining towers also deserve special attention.
Stands out sharply from the general background Kalos V Palace. This is explained by the fact that the palace on the territory of the Alhambra was built at a later time. The order to build the palace was given by the Roman King Charles V in the 16th century. At the center of the square structure lies a circular courtyard, flanked by Tuscan columns on the lower floor and an Ionic colonnade on the upper floor. Today, the palace hosts music and dance performances. The interior of the Palace of Carlos V is given over to the Granada Museum of Fine Arts and the Archaeological Museum of the Alhambra.
Tickets to the Alhambra
You can visit the Alhambra in one of three periods: in the morning (from 8.30 to 14.00), in the afternoon (from 14.00 to 18.00) or in the evening (from 22.00 to 23.30 in the summer from March 15 to October 14, in the winter from 20.00 to 21.30). Tickets are sold for one of the visiting periods, and you need to come during this period.
Tickets are available buy at the entrance to the complex both for cash at the box office and by bank transfer at the terminals. Since tickets purchased here are only valid on the day of purchase, it is better to arrive in advance.
Tickets are available order by phone La Caixa jar: +34958926031 , if calling from abroad, or 902888001 for a call from Spain. Through the Internet tickets can be ordered on the official website www.alhambra-tickets.es
Ticket prices to the Alhambra
General admission ticket - 14 €
Child ticket (from 12 to -15 years old) — 8 €
Children under 12 years old - the entrance is free
Adults over 65 and EU pensioners - 9 €
Persons with disabilities - 8 €
Evening visit - 8 €
You can also book a guided tour at a cost 55 €. A tour of the Alhambra complex lasts about 3 hours. The average length of the route is 3.5 kilometers.
Writing this post was difficult. And I had to, as my brother says, “shove in the impossible,” make a selection of 500 frames and write some minimal text, and not a scientific study on the topic “The Alhambra as it is.”
So, November 4th, early in the morning, i.e. At about 9 o'clock in the morning, we boarded an ordered taxi and went to the main attraction of Granada - the Alhambra, a majestic architectural and park ensemble that includes ancient palaces, a fortress and gardens of Muslim rulers and is considered the highest achievement of Moorish architects in Western Europe.
There are four ways to get to the Alhambra:
1) the easiest way is to order a taxi (it cost us 7.50 European money for two)
2) take minibus route 30 departing from the Cathedral (cost 1.80 money per soul, or rather body)
3) drive your (removed) car (the cost of gasoline and a kilometer of your nerve fibers and cells that are not restored and which you will begin to waste getting confused in one-way, narrow streets (and you will certainly get confused).
4) go on foot - it doesn’t cost money, but you will spend from 30 minutes to infinity on it (depending on where you are going). It should be noted here that if you choose this method of transporting yourself to the Alhambra, you need to take into account that you will have to go up a rather steep hill and the climb can become tiring, especially in the summer. And in the Alhambra itself you will have to walk and walk.
Some guidebooks say it takes 3 hours to explore the Alhambra. I don’t know how you can do everything in 3 hours, probably only if you gallop at a fast pace. We were there for almost 6 hours and didn’t go around and see everything.
And one more important note. Due to the Alhambra's capacity of 8,800 people per day, all guidebooks recommend booking entry tickets in advance. The website for ordering and telephone numbers can be found in Google without any problems, and are also written in the same guidebooks. We knew this, but without a clear travel plan (we decided how we would go, we would go) we didn’t know what day we would end up in Granada, and therefore we didn’t book tickets in advance, hoping that November was far from the height of the tourist season and those who wanted to visit the Red Fortress (and this is how Alhambra is translated from Arabic), there will be not 8800 people, but a little less and we will buy tickets on the spot.
True, the night before, I read a lot of reviews from the same lazy tourists who couldn’t buy a ticket on the spot. And the taxi driver who was taking us to the fortress asked, “Have we ordered tickets?” He was very surprised to hear a negative answer. So on the way to the fortress I was somewhat worried, but Lida was not worried at all and discussed the geopolitical situation in the Middle East with the taxi driver. Their dialogue was very entertaining, because it was based on ten Spanish words that Lida knew and five English words that the taxi driver knew.
So we got to the ticket office, where there were very few people, bought tickets without hindrance and quickly galloped to the Nasrid palaces. There is one more feature that needs to be taken into account when visiting the Alhambra - it is not enough to get a ticket at the box office and enter the complex. You also need to pay attention to the time of entry into the Nasrid palaces. This time is printed on the ticket and you will be able to enter the palaces within half an hour from the appointed time. All guidebooks talk about this too.
We arrived at the Alhambra around 9:30. We were scheduled to enter the palaces at 10:00, but after not carefully looking at the map
we missed the right turn and went in the other direction, and when we got our bearings and realized that we realized that we were going the wrong way, we had to turn around and run quite briskly towards the palace.
Naturally, I photographed something while running, but without going into detail about what I was photographing.
After 15 minutes of brisk walking, at exactly 10:00 we stood at the tail of the approximately 150-meter queue to the Nasrid palaces.
So - "Alhambra (Spanish: Alhambra, from Arabic: قصر الحمراء qasr al-hamra - “red castle”) is an architectural and park ensemble located on a hilly terrace in the eastern part of the city of Granada in Southern Spain. It received its main development during the reign of the Muslim Nasrid dynasty (1230-1492), during which Granada became the capital of the Emirate of Granada on the Iberian Peninsula, and the Alhambra - their residence (the surviving palaces date mainly from the 14th century).The composition of the vast complex, enclosed in fortress walls with towers, also included mosques, residential buildings, baths, gardens, warehouses, cemetery. Currently, it is a museum of Islamic architecture."
While we stood in line we looked at the palace of Carlos 5th. Built very close to the Nasrid Palace. We only looked at this palace from the outside, we didn’t go inside. Now there is the Granada Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes de Granada), the Alhambra Museum (Museo de la Alhambra), a museum of Islamic art, which exhibits mainly archaeological finds made in the Alhambra itself. This is the only object where we did not go out of all those where we could go. It’s just that by the end of the day there was no strength left, either physical or moral.
Opposite Carlos's palace are the walls of the Alcazaba - the citadel of the Alhambra where the first fortifications were built.
And here is our goal for this moment- Nasrid Palace. From the outside it looks very modest and unremarkable.
And here we are at the entrance.
Now a small digression. Granada was the last stronghold of the "Arab resistance". And it was here in the Alhambra that it was decided to build a royal residence after the Arabs were ousted from the Iberian Peninsula. The Moorish complex organically fits into the architectural ensemble of the new Imperial Palace(Palace of Carlos 5th) and thus a masterpiece of Moorish architecture was saved from destruction. True, not everything survived. Of the seven palaces, only three have survived to this day - Mehuar, Comares and the Palace of the Lions. But even from them one can judge with what luxury and splendor the last owners of the Alhambra surrounded themselves in the era of Moorish decadence.
And the first palace we came to was Mehuar.
Mehuar. The oldest part of the complex, noticeably rebuilt after the Christian conquest. The name comes from the Arabic word maswar - the place where the shura, that is, the council of ministers, gathers.
And the first hall is the Mexuar Hall (Sala del Mexuar). In the center of the hall, a patterned wooden ceiling from Christian times is supported by four columns with Mozarabic consoles. The ceiling was made in the 16th century; before that, there was a skylight in its center (there were no side windows). The upper part of the walls is decorated with plaster ornaments, the lower part is decorated with tiles, which are interspersed with panels depicting the coats of arms of Charles V, the Mendoza family, the Pillars of Hercules, etc. During the Christian period it served as a chapel.
Chapel (Oratorio). A small room adjoining the Mechoir, overlooking the Albaicin (one of the oldest Arab quarters of Granada). The walls are covered with quotations from the Koran and praises of Muhammad V.
view of Albiacin
In the eastern part there is a mihrab - a niche in the wall pointing to Mecca (so that worshipers do not accidentally make a mistake in which direction to pray).
In 1590 there was an explosion here; in 1917 the room was restored.
Next we moved to the Mehuar Courtyard (Patio del Mexuar), or the courtyard of the Golden Room (Patio del Cuarto Dorado). Located between Mejuar and the Comares Palace. Here we paused to let a large crowd of “organized” tourists pass and not step on their heels, but at the same time admire such beauty.
Well, I’m under these arches in a crowd of tourists.
The “Golden Chamber” is also located here - the last hall in the Mehuar Palace, so named because of the gilding on the original artesio ceiling. Its finest carvings, restored during the time of the Catholic kings, in addition to the Arab ones, also contain Gothic motifs.
The crowd of tourists has thinned out a little and in front of us is the Facade of the Comares Palace, restored in the 19th century. “Created to commemorate the capture of the city of Algeciras by Muhammad 5 in 1369, it was conceived as a Triumphal Arch, as evidenced by the inscription and the façade, uncharacteristic of Islamic architecture, with two separate entrances.
The Comares Palace (Palacio de Comares) was the official residence of the emir. Built in the middle of the 14th century. under Yusuf I and his son Muhammad V. Different versions have been expressed about the origin of its name; perhaps it comes from the Arabic “gamariyya” - this was the name of the stained glass windows in the windows of the main hall of its tallest tower, also called the Comares Tower.
We enter it and first go along the corridors
and soon we find ourselves in the Myrtle courtyard.
"Myrtle courtyard (Patio de los Arrayanes). The center of the composition of the entire palace, almost the most famous place Alhambra. In the middle of the courtyard there is a marble pond measuring 34x7.1 m, where water is supplied from two fountains on the short sides of the rectangle, for which the courtyard is also called the Pond Patio (Patio del Estanque, Patio de la Alberca). The long sides are lined with clipped myrtle hedges, from which the courtyard received its name. On the northern and southern sides there are open porticos with seven semicircular arches with openwork carvings and columns with square capitals (the central arch is higher than all the others). On their walls, on top of the tiles laid already under the Christians at the end of the 16th century, there are Arabic inscriptions praising the emir - in particular, poems by Ibn Zamrak, the minister of Muhammad V. At the ends of the porticos there are richly decorated niches where vases with flowers or oil were placed lamps. Along the long sides of the courtyard are richly decorated entrances to the women's quarters."
he's on the other side.
walls and arches
We look into the Boat Hall (Sala de la Barca). "An elongated rectangular hall with an entrance from the northern portico of the Myrtle Courtyard, connecting it with the Comares Tower. Its name comes, according to different versions, either from a cylindrical vault resembling an inverted boat, or from a distorted Arabic al-baraka - blessing (this word is often found among the arabesques on the walls). The walls are covered with plaster stucco, underneath with tiles."
And from it we get to the Comares Tower and the amazingly beautiful Ambassadorial Hall. (Salón de Embajadores), "18.2 m high, the most majestic hall of the Alhambra. The floor is tiled, in the middle is the coat of arms of the Alamar family (XVI century). In three walls, except for the entrance, very thick (2.5 m thick), there are niches with three arches inward and a window outward. Windows covered with patterned grilles also run along the second tier. All walls, niches, arches, passages are filled in abundance with inscriptions, carvings and stucco moldings. The wooden inlaid ceiling is extremely richly decorated, symbolically depicting the seven heavens of the Muslim paradise with the throne of Allah in the middle; the ceiling is surrounded by a stalactite frieze. On the top floor of the tower there was the emir's winter bedroom, and from there there was an exit to the terrace."
I am against the backdrop of “thick walls with niches.” The backpack is on the belly for a reason, but on the strong recommendation of the caretakers. Apparently, pickpockets have fun here.
my hand is here for scale. To make it easier to appreciate the thinness of gypsum stucco.
The next and last palace on our way is the Palace of the Lions (Palacio de los Leones) - the private chambers of the emir. "Built in the 14th century under Muhammad V after his rise to power; there is also a version that Muhammad built it as a palace, completely independent from the Comares Palace. The style of this building shows the influence of Christian art, apparently explained by the friendship of the emir with the Castilian king Pedro Cruel."
The Palace of Lions was built on the principle of grouping rooms around an open courtyard.
We entered there, as usual, with a huge crowd.
But gradually the people dispersed and the opportunity arose to look at everything.
So, the Lion's Courtyard (Patio de los Leones). The central courtyard of the palace, surrounded along the perimeter by arched galleries, similar to the galleries of the Myrtle Courtyard, but mostly with double columns, the total number of which is 124. The entrances to the apartments are mainly highlighted by protruding porticoes. The surrounding houses are covered with gabled tiled roofs. In the middle of the courtyard is the Fountain of Lions (Fuente de los Leones), depicting twelve stylized lions holding a twelve-sided bowl on their backs. For a long time there was a version that the figures of lions were made back in the 11th century. and come from the house of the vizier Shmuel ha-Nagid, and since he was a Jew, they supposedly symbolized the twelve tribes of Israel. However, during the restoration of the fountain at the beginning of the 21st century. It turned out that both the lions and the bowl were made during the construction of the palace, that is, in the second half of the 14th century. The bowl is also decorated with poems by Ibn Zamrak.
Hall of Stalactites (Sala de los Mocárabes). It served as a vestibule for entering the palace. The name is due to the ceiling made of muqarnas (Honeycomb vault, muqarnas, muqarnas (Spanish muqarnas, Arabic مقرنص), stalactites are a characteristic element of traditional Arab and Persian architecture; a type of folded vault of closed partitioned folds in the form of rhombic faceted hexagonal depressions, pyramidal depressions similar to wax honeycombs or stalactites), severely damaged by the explosion of a powder magazine in 1590 and replaced; from 1863 remains of the original ceiling can be seen. Bordered along the ceiling is a rich frieze of plaster stucco with Nasrid inscriptions and mottos. It has three arched entrances to the Lion's Courtyard.
muqarna. They are everywhere in the Palace of Lions.
Hall of the Abencerrajes (Sala de los Abencerrajes). "Located in the building on the south side of the Lion's Courtyard. The name is due to the legend according to which 37 representatives of the noble Abencerrajes family were killed here during the festival on the denunciation of a hostile family: supposedly one of the Abencerrajes was close to the Sultan's wife "The rusty spots in the dodecagonal central fountain are associated with their blood. The most noticeable thing in this hall is the star-shaped dome, consisting of muqarnas, with windows giving soft light. The walls are decorated with plaster stucco, below - tiles of the 16th century."
Opposite is a similar hall - the Hall of the Two Sisters (Sala de las Dos Hermanas). The central room of the Sultana's chambers. It owes its name to two large marble floor slabs separated by a fountain. Particularly impressive here is the octagonal dome with muqarnas, which rests on trumpets, also covered with muqarnas. The walls are covered with the finest knock carvings, where you can see the Nasrid mottos.
Hall of the Kings (Sala de los Reyes). Closes the Lion's Courtyard from the east. Perhaps it was a living room and recreation room. Divided by paired arches into three square sections
The central box was specially intended for the Sultan and his entourage.
A few more shots of the Lion's Courtyard and we'll move on.
We pass through the Hall of the Two Sisters and find ourselves in the Mirador de Daraxa. Covered balcony of the Hall of the Two Sisters, overlooking the Lindaraja courtyard (Patio de Lindaraja). The first in the suite of rooms of the harem. The name comes from the distorted Arabic “I-ain-dar-aisha” (“Eyes of the Sultana”). It has low windows (for those sitting on the floor), the central one is double arched, and the side windows are single. Initially, before the construction of the chambers of Charles V, it overlooked the valley of the Darro River (now the gaze rests on the blank wall of the gallery). Plaster stucco with poems by Ibn Zamrak, black, white and yellow tiled plinth, coffered ceiling.
the windows overlook the Lindaraha courtyard
another mehuar
We walk through the gallery built under Carlos 5th. From above we look at the Lattice Courtyard (Patio de la Reja), or Cypress Courtyard (Patio de los Cipreses). Created between the wall, the building of the baths and the chambers of Charles V at the same time as the latter were built; received its name from the lattice of the balcony on the southern wall, made in 1654-1655 for the passage between the Comares Palace and the emperor's chambers. In the middle there is a marble fountain, in the four corners there are century-old cypress trees.
The grille, or rather the railing, is unremarkable - visible in this window
The roofs of the bathhouses are also visible from the gallery.
And on the other side to the ancient fortress wall of Granada
neighborhoods of Granada
one of the towers
We go down and find ourselves in Lindaraha's courtyard
And so we leave the Nasrid Palaces
But while we are walking in the park next to the Portal, we look at the palaces from the outside. As I said, external walls do not indicate internal splendor.
As I said, we went to Partal.
The name "Partal" (from the Arabic word meaning "portico") is given to the area east of the Nasrid Palace. It is sometimes called the Fig Tree Courtyard (Patio de la Higuera). A significant part of it was formerly the Partal Palace (Palacio del Partal), or the Portico Palace (Palacio del Pórtico), built before the Nasrid palaces - at the beginning of the 14th century, under Muhammad III. Very little remains of this palace; the largest of its buildings is the Dam Tower (Torre de las Damas),
Its portico with five arched entrances opens onto a rectangular reservoir, like those of other palaces. At the top there is a turret (mirador), which overlooks the valley of the Darro River, as does the lower square hall. According to legend, it was from this tower that the future emir Boabdil fled to his rebel supporters.
We hang out a bit in the Partal gardens
We look at the Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra (Iglesia de Santa María de la Alhambra). Built in 1581-1618. on site Great Mosque according to the plans of Juan de Herrera and Juan de Orea by the architect Ambrosio de Vico, who somewhat simplified them. It has the shape of a Latin cross in plan.
We passed by the walls of Carlos's palace
We go towards Alcazaba
We pass through the Wine Gate. According to popular belief, tax-free wine trade took place under these gates from 1554, hence their name.
Alcazaba (from the Arabic word al-kasbah, meaning “fortress”) is the citadel of the Alhambra; It was here that the first fortifications were built. The Alcazaba has 9 towers connected by multi-level fortress walls.
I will not list the names of all the towers.
"Armory Square (Plaza de Armas), the space between the walls of the Alcazaba. Here are the foundations of the houses where the garrison and the population serving it lived, the remains of a water tank and the entrance to the underground prison is visible."
I don’t know where the entrance to the prison is, but the kernels are good!
Adarve, patrol path on the northern wall. And the tallest one is also visible - the Watchtower (Torre de la Vela), the most high tower citadel (about 27 m high), square in plan, four-story. It was on it that in 1492 the conquerors raised the flag of the Order of Santiago and the royal banners. Later it was used as a home (until the middle of the 20th century, members of the Corps of War Invalids lived here, ringing the bell on holidays). It had battlements, but in 1522 they were destroyed by an earthquake. The bell was installed in 1492 (which is why it was also called the Bell Tower, Torre de la Campana), but the current belfry dates back to 1840 (destroyed by lightning in 1882 and restored).
Naturally, we climbed up it (oh my poor knees) but the views were worth it.
Rooftops of Granada
View of the Alhambra Hotel ( historical value not representative, but picturesque.
The fortress walls of the Alhambra (Lida is shown for scale).
Under the walls, already in the Christian era, a small park was laid out.
Through this park we leave the Alcazaba, passing the gardens of Partal
What these two are doing remains a mystery to us.
we walk past the dwellings of Arab nobles
The path leads to this snow-white palace on a nearby hill.
This is the Generalife - the former summer residence of the emirs, located east of the fortress itself and connected to it by several roads. The complex includes a palace, gardens and a number of other buildings.
First we walked through the “Lower Gardens”, laid out here in 1931 and having no historical significance, but no less beautiful for that.
The gardens themselves are beautiful, and they also offer absolutely stunning views of the Alhambra.
And the scent of flowers around.
The Generalife Palace (Palacio del Generalife) was built in the 13th century. and rebuilt in 1319
Its facade is deliberately simple and modest, contrasting with the rich interior in the style of the Alhambra palaces.
The most impressive thing about it is the Patio de la Acequia, through which passed the same canal, traces of which are visible in the Alhambra; here it is framed by two rows of water jets, and flowers, bushes and trees are planted along the banks.
He leads to observation deck(mirador), which offers a beautiful view of the city.
Named after the lonely dry gigantic cypress tree. Otherwise, it was called the Sultana's Court, because here, according to legend, the secret meetings of the Sultan's wife with one of the Abencerrachs took place, which cost the lives of an entire family of nobles. (killed in the hall of the same name in the Palace of Lions).
here are a couple more views of cypress
I don’t remember what this window refers to - I just really liked it.
In the 19th century, “upper gardens” were laid out a little higher on the slope
And in 1836, the Romantic Mirador (Mirador Romántico) was built in a neo-Gothic style, contrasting with the rest of the buildings.
Once you get there you can see the following pictures.
Like that window, I also liked this tower, but I won’t say what it is. I’ll just say that this was the last building we looked at in the Alhambra.
After that, through a shady forest with cunningly shaped trees, we came to the gate and then our six-hour walk around the Alhambra ended.
We went down to the city by minibus, which I wrote about at the beginning of the post, and I’ll tell you about what we saw in the second half of the day in the next post (for this, I think, there’s enough information).
“Red Castle” is the translation of the name of the luxurious palace complex, which I want to tell you about today. Today no one can say where exactly the name came from. Either the abundance of red torches on the fortress walls gave rise to this. Perhaps the color of sun-dried clay was the impetus for this name. Be that as it may, I interpret it in my own way. And in my opinion, “red” means “beautiful”! And you will be convinced of this by visiting here in person. To do this you need to come to the castle (Spain).
So, either a city, or a garden, or a fortress, or perhaps a huge Moorish complex of palaces and gardens.
History of creation
They built the Alhambra, built it, and finally built it. They began to build the palace complex in the 13th century, although in fact they began to “mess around” here several centuries earlier.
Back in the 9th century, in official documentary records there were references to a certain dilapidated fortress, which was located in this very place even before the palace. In those distant times, one of the warring rulers of the Emirate of Cordoba was hiding from his opponents in these ruins. For another hundred or two hundred years, the fortress was strengthened and rebuilt, until in the 11th century it was territorially connected to the city. The fortress turned into a more or less independent quarter (medina). Such neighborhoods could be self-sufficient if the city was under siege by conquerors.
Fateful events took place here in the first half of the 13th century. Then a certain Muhammad ibn Nasr “grabbed” some power for himself in the state of Muslims. He became the founder of the Granada Emirate with its capital in Granada. Of course, it was decided to make the residence in the Alhambra.
The castle began to be intensively strengthened. After all, the residence of the ruler... It was fortified so diligently and responsibly that Muhammad’s heirs even had to change the course of the local river - all for the sake of the “common military cause.”
As you understand, at that time the building played the role of a defensive structure, which did not look like a luxurious palace. It was only in the 14th century that one of the ruler’s heirs began to give Alhambra the appearance of a real palace complex.
At the same time, the Palace of Lions, several new gates and baths were built, and carvings appeared on the walls. Subsequently, few people cared about the decoration and design of the palace. The palace is as it was in the 14th century.
The 15th century became a new important moment in the life of the Alhambra. Then Granada was liberated from the Mauritanians. The Spanish crown took possession of the palace. In the 16th century, the complex was supplemented with a special palace for Charles the Fifth. At the same time, some of the old buildings were destroyed, as well as decorative elements on the palace walls. In the 18th century, the palace “fell into a coma”; it was almost forgotten, leading to destruction and decline...
They remembered it again in the 19th century. It was not the rulers who laid their eyes on her, but creative people - painters and writers. For almost 60 years in a row they tried to restore the complex, “sucking out of thin air” some of its details. They approached the work not scientifically, but creatively... What can I say, artists are impressionable and imaginative people... And only after a while, with the advent of the 20th century, they began to restore the palace, relying on historical documents.
Now it is a whole palace and park complex, consisting of a fortress and palaces with museums, gardens and sculptural compositions. The Alhambra is experiencing its rebirth, attracting millions of tourists every year.
Palace elements
Since our landmark is a whole architectural ensemble, it would be wrong to talk about it as one palace.
For convenience, as a rule, the Alhambra is divided into zones or sectors. It’s easier to describe this way, and tourists won’t get lost.
Alcazaba
This word used to be used by the Arabs in Spain to call the fortified residence of their ruler. In our case, Alcazaba is the oldest part of the complex, located at the top of the hill. This is where the first “builders” and owners of the fortress lived.
Among the oldest elements of the buildings we see ancient walls, a Watchtower, the ruins of several old buildings, the remains of a water collection tank, a prison and part of the residential buildings for servants. Nowadays, gardens are also included in this sector. But they appeared later and have nothing to do with the old buildings.
The last dynasty of emirs, its representatives lived here in this building with adjacent courtyards, halls and towers. This is where those in power most often lived. Here was their, so to speak, permanent residence. The palace had three sectors: Mechoir, Palace of the Lions and Comares. Tourists can still see them today. Meshuar is a room for the work of the court and the reception of citizens. Comares is the official residence for receiving high-ranking guests and foreign envoys. And in the Palace of Lions lived the “lions” themselves, the rulers. There were their private chambers. In the emir's palace today they have tried to restore as much as possible the interior that it had during the reign of its owners. Come in and rule.
Charles V of Habsburg, Holy Roman Emperor, officially stayed here (in the Alhambra) in summer time. But apparently he was a capricious ruler; he was not satisfied with the ancient buildings and desired a new palace for himself. And in the 16th century, they began to build a new palace opposite the old one. It was later called the Palace of Charles V. The style chosen was the Italian Renaissance. The building is in the shape of a square. The patio is round. It was completed only in the 20th century, when the customer was no longer in sight.
As I said above, over time it became a full-fledged residential area (district, quarter). It included both government palaces and the residential sector of commoners. Medina was called the Upper Alhambra. Here, in fact, lived both ordinary people, gentlemen, and artisans. All of them were busy maintaining the palace complex. The quarter itself was quite noticeably separated from the “royal part” - they dug a ditch, which was surrounded by a strong wall with fortress towers. When the era of Christians arrived, this part of the complex was abandoned. The buildings have collapsed over time. The Catholics set up their monastery in one palace. The rest of the medina was made into a park (garden).
This palace is often written about separately as a famous landmark of Granada. This is kind of a separate point in tourist routes guidebooks. This palace is located 350 meters from the main Alhambra complex. It’s funny, but the rulers “came” here to relax, just like we go to the dacha today. Although the distance is only like “the cat cried.” From the previous appearance There is not even a brick left of the Generalife. The Christian era and regular restructuring completely erased everything that was here originally. Add to this a period of complete devastation that lasted for decades. And, despite this, this palace is amazingly beautiful. If you don’t “bother” with the lack of “pristine” nature, then there is something to look at.
Local gardens are spoken of as a separate independent tourist attraction. To say “gardens” is an understatement. This word hides the garden plantings themselves, and wonderful cozy courtyards, and fountains on terraces, cascades of water streams, canals, reservoirs, elaborate arches, weightless vaults, slender colonnades, carved windows with airy light patterns... Everywhere there is decoration in Arabic script with glorification of Allah, plant-themed ornaments, bright multi-colored mosaics, ceramic tiles, openwork carvings on wood and even stone.
Wonderfully smelling oranges, alleys of slender cypress trees, blooming flower beds, the murmur of water in cascades and splashing fountains. It seems that when laying out the gardens of the Alhambra in Granada, their creators paid special attention and importance to water and light. Everything here is subordinated to the general idea of creating comfort, coziness, bright joy...
Water came into the canals and fountains from the mountain slopes. The value of water in the era of the Moors was high. It's like columns for the Greeks. Water had to be an essential element of important architectural ensembles that time.
How to get there?
How to get to the Alhambra Palace in Granada? As I have said many times, palace ensemble located on a hill called La Sabica near the historical center Granada. Therefore, there should be no problems finding this attraction.
Three popular ways: on your own, by car (personal or taxi), by bus.
From the city center to the hill it is no more than a kilometer walk. Therefore, it won’t be difficult to get there on foot. The starting point is Granada Cathedral. If you are short on time, then use public transport, or rent a car. The route you need is C3. For the convenience of tourists with cars, there are guarded parking lots near the palace complex. If you do not go on a tour bus, but take a car, then your route will be slightly different from the “bus” route. You will have to enter not from the city center, but from the southern section of the ring road.
Ticket price and opening hours
Here, as usual, I advise you to take a look at the official website of the Alhambra so as not to get into trouble.
The entrance ticket to the Nasrid Palace is valid only for 30 minutes from the time indicated on the ticket. This is due to limiting the number of visitors in the palace premises. If you are late and your 30 minutes are up, no one will let you in and you will have to buy a ticket again.
There is no single ticket to visit the entire complex of palaces at once. Or rather, it exists, but such a ticket gives the right to very, very general review territories. If you want to consider everything in detail and scrupulously, then tickets to each palace and even gardens are purchased separately. In addition, there are tickets for daytime and evening visits. They also differ in price.
So, the most general sightseeing ticket to the Alhambra Palace in Spain costs 14 euros. Children under 12 years old enter free of charge. From 12 to 15 years old - pay 8 euros. Pensioners over 65 years old pay 9 euros for entry. Tickets for disabled people are sold for 8 euros.
Find out more detailed information on visiting each area of the Alhambra on the website.
Important: on average, the excursion takes at least three hours. Tickets are selling out like crazy. Therefore, purchase them in advance. It is more convenient to do this online on the official website of the Palace complex. Taking photos and selfies is allowed, but without flashes or tripods. No smoking!!! You can eat and drink only in certain specially designated places.
The first visitors are allowed in here at 8.30 am. In winter, the facility closes at 21.30, and in summer at 23.30.
As usual, the visit is possible with a guide or on your own. This also affects the cost of tickets.
Bottom line
Whatever you call it - an architectural masterpiece of Islamic masters or an outstanding monument of Moorish architecture - in any case, it is a landmark of amazing beauty. Her fame has long gone beyond the borders of Granada and Spain. Could the last rulers of the Muslim dynasty in Granada have imagined that their home (roughly speaking) would be admired by millions of foreigners today? A seemingly ordinary fortress and palace complex for that time, centuries later, having experienced prosperity and ruin, it became an unsurpassed property not only of the Spaniards, but of all mankind. Not for the sake of a nice word, I’m saying all this now. This beauty is difficult to describe, it needs to be seen. This is what I encourage you to do with all my story about the Alhambra.
The Alhambra is an impressive architectural and park ensemble that includes ancient palaces, a fortress and gardens of Muslim rulers and is considered the highest achievement of Moorish architects in Western Europe. Currently, the Alhambra is a museum of Islamic art and culture, which is visited annually by millions of tourists from all over the world.
The Alhambra is located on top of a rocky plateau in the eastern part of the city of Granada in southern Spain. Medieval poets described the structure as an "emerald pearl", noting the expressive structure against a backdrop of green forests, blue skies and mountain landscapes with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
The name "Alhambra" literally translates from Arabic as "red castle". Some attribute this to the color of the sun-dried clay from which the palaces are built, others believe that the name comes from the “red flames of the torches” that illuminated the castle during its many years of construction.
History of the Alhambra
The development of the Alhambra is associated with the Muslim conquerors of the Iberian Peninsula, who came to southern Spain in the 8th century. During the reign of the Muslim Nasrid dynasty (1230-1492), Granada became the capital of the Moorish possessions in Spain - the Emirate of Granada.
The Moorish emirs wished to create a piece of earthly paradise on the conquered lands of sunny Spain - this is how the Alhambra arose among the shady gardens of Granada, which became the residence of the conquering emirs. In those days, the vast complex, enclosed within fortress walls with towers, included mosques, residential buildings, baths, gardens, warehouses, and a cemetery; the palaces of the Alhambra, dating mainly from the 14th century, have survived to this day.
The interior decoration of the complex can be described as harmoniously combined picturesque gardens of the Alhambra, courtyards and terraces with fountains, water cascades, canals and ponds with many graceful arches, vaults, slender columns or patterned carved windows. All this splendor is decorated with fancy Arabic scripts, floral patterns, colorful mosaics, ceramic tiles, carved patterns on wood and stone.
Water and light play an important role in the overall composition of the Alhambra. The water here sparkles with splashes of fountains, gurgles in canals and flows briskly in cascades, filling reservoirs. All this is on vast territory surrounded by orange fragrant trees, cypress alleys and flowering flower beds.
Water coming from the mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada filled the canals and fountains of the Alhambra and was the element that the Moors valued most. Fountains, streams and waterfalls are no less a characteristic part of architecture for the Arabs than columns for the Greeks. It is no coincidence that the inscription on the fountain in the Lion Courtyard remains: “Look at the water and look at the pond, and you will not be able to decide whether the water is calm or marble flowing.”
The road to the Alhambra from Granada goes along the slope of the Cuesta de Gomeres through a park area extending from the Pomegranate Gate to the Gate of Justice, which was the main entrance to the Alhambra residence in Moorish times.
On the huge arches of the gate in the shape of a horseshoe there are inscriptions in Arabic script: “Praise be to God. There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. There is no other authority but God's."
Alhambra architecture
The Alhambra is a complex of courtyards, rooms, passages and towers, each of which had its original purpose and has its own characteristics. The very names of many of them are eloquent: “Myrtle courtyard”, decorated with evergreen myrtle trellises.
" The Hall of the Two Sisters gets its name from the two huge slabs of white marble built into the floor. The tiles and stucco decoration of the Hall of the Two Sisters are perhaps the most beautiful in the entire Alhambra. The honeycomb dome is the largest of the Arabian stalactite vaults, which is about 5000 cells.
The “Courtyard of Lions” is named after the fountain, around which statues of twelve predators are frozen.
The Chamber of Ambassadors was created for court celebrations and official ceremonies. The dome of this room is decorated with a star pattern that shimmers at a high altitude.
Of particular interest are the numerous towers of the Alhambra with decorated halls, swimming pools and beautiful views of the surrounding area from the top points of the towers. The easternmost part of the Alhambra Palace is occupied by the defensive tower Torre de las Damas, with an adjacent vaulted hall, a swimming pool and a small mosque.
In sharp contrast to the rest of the architecture of the ensemble is a later building - the Palace of Carlos V, built on the territory of the Alhambra in the 16th century by order of the Roman King Charles V. The square structure hides a circular courtyard with an Ionic colonnade on the upper floor and Tuscan columns on the lower floor. Currently, the palace is a concert venue for music and dance performances. The interior of the Palace of Carlos V houses the Archaeological Museum of the Alhambra and the Museum of Fine Arts of Granada.
Tickets to the Alhambra
Tickets to the Alhambra are sold for one of the periods: morning, afternoon or evening. You must arrive strictly within the specified period.
Alhambra opening hours:
from 8.30 to 14.00, from 14.00 to 18.00, from 20 to 21.30 in winter - from October 15 to March 14;
from 8.30 to 14.00, from 14.00 to 20.00, from 22 to 23.30 in the summer.
The cost of a general ticket to visit the Alhambra is 14 euros
Children 12-15 years old - 8 euros
Children under 12 years old free
Adults over 65 years old and EU pensioners - 9 euros
Disabled people - 8 euros
The cost of an evening visit is 8 euros
Guided tour – 55 euros
Tickets can be purchased at the box office (cash) and terminals (bank cards) at the entrance. Tickets are valid only on the day of purchase, so it is better to come with a reserve for tickets.
We recommend purchasing tickets in advance at the Tienda de la Alhambra store in Granada or by calling La Caixa bank: 902 88 80 01 for Spain or +34 958 926 031 for calls from abroad.
The average length of the route through the Alhambra complex is 3.5 km. To comfortably explore all the sights, you will need at least 3 hours.
If you are going to the south of Spain, be sure to visit the Alhambra - an invaluable heritage of the Moorish past. Contact the Center for Services for Business and Life in Spain “Spain in Russian”, and we will help you organize interesting individual or group excursions on the most unforgettable and unique places countries.
