The Alhambra
The highlight of your visit to the Alhambra Palace will be the time you spend in
the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaríes). These Royal Palaces consist of a number
of brilliantly designed and decorated function rooms and courtyards that were
used by the Muslim rulers for different purposes.
The Royal Palaces were divided into three distinct parts:
the Mexuar, the Serallo and the Harem. Each of these
palaces contained a number of rooms which were used for different purposes and
they were designed around a central courtyard.
The Mexuar Palace is first series of rooms you enter. It was here that
the Sultan met with his ministers to consult on state affairs and he also
received members of the the public to listen to their petitions.
Next you pass into the beautiful Mudéjar-style Cuarto Dorado (Golden
Room). This is where the where the sultan made his most important decisions as
military commander-in-chief. The room was redecorated in its present golden
colour during Carlos Vs period on the throne. Opposite the Cuarto Dorado is the
entrance to the Serallo.
The Serallo was the official residence of the emir or sultan and its rooms
surround the Patio de los Arrayanes (Patio of the Myrtles) with its large
central pool. In the Sala de la Barca which lies through the north
portico of the Patio the wooden ceiling is an inverted boat shape. This room
leads into the impressive Salón de Embajadores where the sultans carried
out negotiations with Christian emissaries.
Moving on from here you will arrive at the famous Patio de los Leones
which lies at the heart of the Harem section. It was built for sultan
Muhammed V in 1378 with a central fountain supported by 12 tame-looking lions.
Ibn Zamrak's poem, engraved on the fountain, praises the sultan and this
beautiful palace garden, planted with trees and aromatic herbs. It's surrounded
by a gallery with 124 marble columns that overlooks three of the most attractive
rooms in the complex.
The Patio de los Leones is surrounded by four buildings where the sultan and his
closest family lived. On the south side is the Sala de los Abencerrajes
which is astonishing for its domed ceiling with stalactite vaulting producing a
star like effect. The water in the marble fountain reflects the image of the
brilliant ceiling above. The sultan's wives lived on the second floor.
This room gets its name from the legend that the penultimate Moorish ruler of
Granada, Abu al-Hasan (Muley Hacem) had the nobles of the Abencerraje family
murdered here because the head of the family dared to flirt with Zoraya, the
harem favourite. The Abencerrajes also favoured the rival Boabdil in the palace
power struggle.
On the north side of the patio is the beautiful Sala de dos Hermanas
(Hall of the Two Sisters) which is named after the two slabs of white marble
either side of its fountain. At the far end is the Sala de los Ajimeces
which was the dressing room of the favoured lady. From here she could lie on
cushions and admire the mountains through the low windows. The Sala de los
Reyes (Hall of the Kings) on the east end of the patio contains various
medieval paintings. It is named after the painting on leather in the centre of
the ceiling which shows 10 Nasrid emirs.
The Alcazaba: The Alhambra's Fortress
The Alcazaba was the fortress which acted as military headquarters for the
Nasrid dynasty. It was built on the highest point of the hill to defend the
royal family and house their army. The original construction had 24 towers but
only a few remain. If you've already collected your ticket the best place to enter the Alhambra
Palace complex is through the Puerta de la Justicia. This tower gateway features
the Muslim symbols of a key and an outstretched hand, carved in marble. The five
fingers symbolize the five precepts of the Koran.
Once through the gate you reach the Jardín de los Adarves (Adarves Garden) that
leads in turn to the Alcazaba (Fortress). You should walk up the steps to the
Torre de la Vela (Watchtower) for some magnificent views of the city and the
fertile plain beyond.
Past the central patio (Plaza de las Armas), you'll see an Arab bathhouse,
living quarters, stables and dungeons. Climb up the steps to the defensive walls
and towers for the fantastic views over the neighbouring Albayzín and Sacromonte
districts.
Other Buildings of the Alhambra
The Alhambra complex houses some other impressive buildings of a later date
that were built after the Arabs were defeated and expelled from the region by
the incoming Christian rulers.
Carlos V's Palace
The massive bulk of the Renaissance-style Carlos V's Palace stands in stark
contrast to the delicate Moorish Royal Palaces next door. It has two museums
worth visiting either before or after the rest of the Alhambra complex. The
ground floor Alhambra Museum displays a wonderful collection of furniture,
paintings, ceramics and coins from the Nasrid period. The Fine Art Museum
upstairs contains some excellent religious paintings and sculpture from the 16th
and 17th centuries along with some of David Roberts' 19th-century watercolours.
The palace itself dates from a later period than the neighbouring Moorish
palaces. It was built by Pedro Machuca, a former pupil of Michelangelo, for
Emperor Carlos V in 1527. The central courtyard now acts as an atmospheric venue
for orchestras and theatre companies during the International Music and Dance
Festival.
The San Francisco Parador
This was once a mosque, then a monastery and is now a wonderful four-star
hotel.
The Santa María Church
Santa María Church.
This early 17th-century church was built on top of a mosque in the Alhambra
complex. It's worth a visit to see Alonso Mena's sculptures of Santa Úrsula,
Santa Susana and el Cristo en la Cruz (Christ on the Cross), and the altarpiece,
which is strongly influenced by Alonso Cano's work.
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